Revisiting Bangladesh: Out of Devastation, Hope

Just one month ago, Cyclone Sidr - one of the fiercest cyclones to hit Bangladesh in the last 131 years - slammed the country's southern and southwestern regions. At least 3,300 people lost there lives and millions were left homeless. The United Nations estimates that 8.7 million people were affected by the storm and many remain dependent on food handouts and aid. While total pledges have reached 545 million dollars, the government has appealed for at least 2.2 billion. According to World Bank Vice President for South Asia Praful C. Patel: