Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The World Food Program (WFP) on Thursday welcomed a cash donation of US$ 9.7 million contribution from the government of Japan for vulnerable people.
The contribution will provide urgently needed food and nutrition assistance to the most vulnerable people including children, pregnant and lactating women in high food insecure and disaster prone areas.
WFP will use this Japanese fund to distribute some 14,000 metric tons of wheat, 3500 metric tons wheat soya bean and 200 metric tons of tuna cans to 500,000 extreme poor people in 12 districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Serajganj, Pabna, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Bagerhat, Khulna, Shatkhira, Barguna, Bhola and Patuakhali.
The Japan government has been one of the key donors to food aid program in Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. 
Japan has given approximately US$30 million to WFP Bangladesh since 2007. So far this year, Japan’s contribution to WFP has reached US$209 million (approximately JPY 18.1 billion), making it the third largest donor to WFP.
 
BBN/SI/AD-26Aug10-5:00 pm (BST)