Andrew Tilke, chief executive officer of HSBC Bangladesh, hands over the papers of a deal to Rokia Afzal Rahman, former caretaker government adviser, at a ceremony in the capital yesterday in presence of Hasibur Rahman, executive director of MRDI, and Hedaitul Islam Helal, team leader at Green World Communications. MRDI will use CSR funds to alleviate poverty.

HSBC, MRDI, and Green World Communication Ltd will work together using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds for an alternative social development support to address poverty, MRDI said in a statement yesterday.

Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) will use the funds to address the crisis of safe drinking water, protect the Sundarbans from pollution and facilitate better livelihood for more than 2,500 poverty-prone people of village Dhengmari.

The project includes pond digging with provision of filtering system, rainwater harvesting plant, distribution of eco-friendly stoves, skills training for women and sapling distribution.

Rokia Afzal Rahman, former adviser to the caretaker government, said the agreement will pave the way for success of CSR in complementing the government's social development efforts and achieving millennium development goals.

She termed it an important step to building partnership between corporate and civil society organisations for

optimum utilisation of CSR funds in development.

Andrew Tilke, chief executive officer of HSBC Bangladesh, said they were helping the community help themselves rather than provide direct support.

MRDI advocates programmes for establishing CSR as an alternative deve-lopment fund which to benefit society at large and take CSR programmes forward to build a caring society, MRDI's

Executive Director Hasibur Rahman said.

The initiative aims at securing life and health of the vulnerable people of remote village Dhengmari of Sundarbans, said Hedaitul Islam Helal, team leader of Green World Communication Ltd.

Andrew Tilke, Hasibur Rahman and Hedaitul Islam Helal signed the agreement on behalf of their organisations.

News: The Daily Star/Bangladesh/19-Sep-12