পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৭৭৭

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এই পাতাটির মুদ্রণ সংশোধন করা প্রয়োজন।

749 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড In response to a specific invitation of the Government, the UNICEF office in Dacca has studied the possibilities of organizing and providing supplies for a food distribution for pre-school and young school children. The Government proposed to use schools as feeding centers and it indicated that although existing staff would be able to handle the operation, there would be need for transport and special food supplies an initial period of one year the proposed programme in which UNICEF would be involved aims to reach preschool and school age children through at least 25 per cent of all primary schools. It is hoped to reach about 1,200,000 young children and to provide a supplementary ration of about 100 grams per day of pre-cooked, high-protein children's food. The feeding programme would eventually have a nutrition education component and it is hoped would led to a longer-term plan which could be maintained by the Government and non-UNICEF sources after the initial emergency period is over. Concurrently with the special feeding programme, UNICEF has agreed to accelerate currently aided projects in East Pakistan, particularly in the fields of health, rural water supplies and education. Additional assistance may also be required for the displaced persons in the country and, at a later stage, for returning refugees from India, if, as it is hoped, the number increases and the recently established reception centers need to be strengthened and expanded. Other efforts include those of private organizations such as the League of Red Cross Societies, which sent two representatives to East Pakistan to make a survey with the Pakistan Red Cross Society on the conditions under which their cyclone disaster projects could be resumed. CARE aid programme continue to function in East Pakistan and are picking up momentum. A number of other private institutions have continued existing projects or initiated new programmes of assistance. This, Mr. President, is a brief review of the humanitarian relief operations under way in East Pakistan. As I said, earlier, further details about condition and needs as well as about contributions and pledges thus far received from individual Governments and institutions, are contained in the report which is being issued today. May I only underline that this operation is still largely at the assessment and planning stage. All estimates of assistance requirements, however, point to the urgency of mobilizing substantial external resources for relief action. In conclusion I wish to convey to the Council the deep gratification and appreciation of the Secretary-General on the splendid manner in which all United Nations Programmes and Agencies have responded to this challenge and acted Smoothly and in concert.