In response to the country’s ongoing flood crisis, students from the Department of Accounting and Information Systems (AIS) at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) have taken proactive measures to provide aid to the flood affected communities.
A volunteer team of 12 members has been formed by the students to reach out to the affected and stranded people in flooded areas. The team members covered two locations—Laharkandi Union and Char Shahi Union, both in Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila, Lakshmipur, which were identified in consultation with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).
Working in collaboration with local student coordinators, the volunteers divided into three teams at each location to ensure an organised distribution of essential supplies.
The relief packages included 200 water bottles of 1.5-litre, 1200 water bottles of 2-litre and 1000 water bottles of 5-litre, sourced by filling empty bottles themselves and with help from Dhaka WASA, which contributed purified water of free cost.
The supplies also included food rice, lentils, potatoes, oil, salt, puffed rice, flattened rice, biscuits, milk, jaggery and saline packets.
Apart from these, a total of 700 candles and 200 lighters were distributed to help those without power. Basic first aid kits and medicines were provided in partnership with Jeeon Foundation, while sanitary pads and clothing were sourced through donations.
An alumnus of the department assisted with the logistics by arranging a truck from Daraz to transport the relief supplies.
The funds for these relief efforts, amounting to around Tk4 lakh, were largely crowd-funded with support from the AIS department’s own resources.