USAID suspends activities except Rohingya humanitarian aids in Bangladesh
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The USAID, the US government’s cooperation agency, in a directive on Sunday, asked all USAID/Bangladesh Implementing Partners to immediately 'stop, cease, and/or suspend any work’ performed under their respective USAID/Bangladesh contract, task order, grant, cooperative agreement, or other acquisition or assistance instrument.
However, according to the Press Wing, the food, nutrition, and health-related support programmes for Rohingyas have been exempted from the directives.
“Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump in a letter for this exemption,” said deputy press secretary to the CA, Apurba Zahangir at a press briefing.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain said that this directive was underpredicted, as Mr Trump intended to take such action before assuming office.
And this is applicable for all the countries, not only for Bangladesh, he told reporters.
The directive was issued through a letter, in reference to the which said President Trump's Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid; Notice on President Trump's Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid; Notice on Implementation of Executive Order: DEIA Activities Under Existing USAID Awards.
“This action is taken in accordance with the applicable authority under your award, which may include FAR Clause 52.242-15 Stop-Work Order (or Alternate I), 2 CFR 700.14, or the Applicable Standard Provisions, as appropriate,” the letter said.
“Partners shall take all reasonable steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to their awards.”
“Partners shall not resume work under their awards until notification has been received in writing from the Contracting/Agreement Officer that this award Stop Work Order/Suspension has been cancelled,” said the letter signed by Richard B. Aaron of the USAID.