Bangladesh Disaster Assistance Act of 1988
PL 100-576 (H.R.5389), enacted 10/31/1988

PUBLIC LAW 100-576—OCT. 31, 1988 
102 STAT. 2897 
Public Law 100-576 
100th Congress 
An Act 
Concerning disaster assistance for Bangladesh. 
Oct. 31, 1988 
[H.R. 5389] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Bangladesh 
Disaster 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Assistance Act 
This Act may be cited as the "Bangladesh Disaster Assistance 
7 use 1691 note 
Act of 1988". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) as a result of the 1988 floods, two-thirds of Bangladesh has 
been inundated with flood waters; 
(2) over 30 million people in Bangladesh are homeless, over 
2,000 dead, tens of thousands ill, and potentially millions at risk 
of waterborne disease and epidemic because of lack of safe 
water and overcrowding; 
(3) transportation, communications, and normal commerce in 
Bangladesh have been seriously interrupted, with a potential 
cost for replacing destroyed or damaged infrastructure of 
$500,000,000; 
(4) agricultural lands have been flooded, with a potential crop 
loss of nearly $1,000,000,000; 
(5) the people of the United States have respected and gener-
ously supported the efforts of the people of Bangladesh to 
maintain their independence, promote equitable 
economic 
growth, and strive for political pluralism and greater democ-
racy; and 
(6) the Government of Bangladesh has taken quick action to 
cope with this disaster, one of the most serious in the history of 
Bangladesh, but must rely on a generous response from the 
international community for emergency assistance and, even 
more importantly, for the expertise and resources needed to 
prevent the continual recurrence of such disastrous floods. 
SEC. 3. COMMENDATION 
OF 
AND SUPPORT 
FOR 
THE 
PEOPLE 
OF 
BANGLADESH. 
The Congress— 
(1) commends the courage and resourcefulness demonstrated 
by the people of Bangladesh in response to the 1988 floods; 
(2) commends the President for the generous provision by the 
United States of emergency assistance for Bangladesh; 
(3) commends United States private and voluntary organiza-
tions, international organizations, foreign governments, and 
others for their compassionate response to this natural disaster; 
(4) expresses its support for the people of Bangladesh at this 
most critical time; 
102 STAT. 2898 
PUBLIC LAW 100-576—OCT. 31, 1988 
7 u s e 1727. 
Rural areas. 
Urban areas. 
Health and 
medical care. 
7 u s e 1727 note. 
7 u s e 1727 note. 
(5) declares its willingness to work with the President to 
provide generous levels of emergency humanitarian assistance 
to the people of Bangladesh; 
(6) declares its willingness to work with the Government of 
Bangladesh and with private and voluntary organizations to 
ensure that emergency assistance quickly reaches those most in 
need; and 
(7) declares its willingness to work with the international 
community to seek the means to prevent a recurrence of such 
natural disasters, and urges the President to promote a regional 
solution designed to prevent a recurrence of such natural 
disasters. 
SEC. 4. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR BANGLADESH. 
(a) USE OF FOOD FOR DEVELOPMENT LOCAL CURRENCIES FOR DISAS-
TER ASSISTANCE.—(1) Section 301 of the Agricultural Trade Develop-
ment and Assistance Act of 1954 is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
"(c) In the event of a serious natural disaster in a country 
participating in a Food for Development Program, funds accruing 
from the sale of commodities made available under this title may be 
used, with the approval of the United States Government, for 
disaster relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance in any 
rural or urban area of that country adversely affected by the 
disaster. Such assistance may include (but is not limited to) 
food, medicine and medical supplies, shelter, and in-country 
transportation.". 
(2) Food for Development agreements entered into under title III 
of that Act before the date of enactment of this Act may be amended 
in order to implement the amendment made by paragraph (1). 
(3) Pending amendment pursuant to paragraph (2) of Food for 
Development agreements with the Government of Bangladesh, the 
use of funds accruing under those agreements, with the approval of 
the United States Government, for flood-related disaster assistance 
authorized by the amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be 
deemed to be consistent with the applicable agreement. 
(b) 
ADDITIONAL FUNDS 
FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR BAN-
GLADESH.—It is the sense of the Congress that, in order to provide 
additional resources for disaster assistance for the victims of the 
1988 floods in Bangladesh, not less than $100,000,000 of the local 
currencies generated under Food for Development agreements with 
the Government of Bangladesh should be used for the disaster relief, 
rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance purposes authorized by 
the amendment made by subsection (a)(1). 
(c) REGULAR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO BE MAINTAINED.—Disaster 
assistance provided for Bangladesh by the United States because of 
the 1988 floods should be in addition to the regularly programmed 
assistance for that country for fiscal year 1989 under chapter 1 of 
part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to development 
assistance) and titles I, II, and III of the Agriculture Trade Develop-
ment and Assistance Act of 1954 (relating to food assistance); and 
the level of such regularly programmed assistance should not be 
reduced because of such disaster assistance. 
(d) EXTENSION OF PERIOD FOR USE OF FOOD FOR DEVELOPMENT 
LOCAL CURRENCIES.—It is the sense of the Congress that the period, 
during which funds accruing under Food for Development agree-
PUBLIC LAW 100-576—OCT. 31, 1988 
102 STAT. 2899 
merits with the Government of Bangladesh must be used, should be 
extended from September 30, 1989, to at least September 30, 1990. 
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the date of President of U.S. 
enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the Congress a 
report on efforts by the international community and the govern-
ments of the region to develop regional programs for the Ganges 
basin and the Brahmaputra basin that are designed— 
(1) to ensure an equitable and predictable supply of water in 
the dry season; and 
(2) to promote better flood control mechanisms to mitigate in 
the mid-term, and prevent in the long-term, floods as severe as 
the 1988 floods in Bangladesh. 
(b) SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a)-
(1) shall describe what efforts have been made by inter-
national organizations and other international institutions, by 
bilateral and multilateral assistance donors, and by countries in 
the region, to achieve the objectives set forth in subsection (a); 
(2) shall describe the feasibility studies, planning studies, or 
actual projects that are in preparation or have been completed 
to achieve those objectives; 
(3) shall analyze the potential costs, the technology obstacles 
(such as those presented by the earthquakes to which the region 
is prone), and the political problems that stand in the way of 
effective flood control in the Ganges basin and the Brahma-
putra basin; 
(4) shall describe the environmental causes of the flood, 
particularly deforestation and soil erosion; and 
(5) shall describe the efforts made, and the efforts proposed to 
be made, by the President to promote a regional approach to 
achieving the objectives set forth in subsection (a). 
SEC. 6. OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT. 
It is the sense of the Congress that the Office of Technology 
Assessment— 
(1) should cooperate in the effort described in section 5; and 
(2) in particular, should provide to the Department of State 
and the Congress— 
(A) a synopsis of all current studies and reports— 
(i) on flood control in the Ganges basin and the 
Brahmaputra basin, or 
(ii) on state-of-the-art technology available for the 
construction and maintenance of flood control projects, 
and 
102 STAT. 2900 
PUBLIC LAW 100-576—OCT. 31, 1988 
(B) any cost benefit analysis of efforts to improve water 
availability in the dry season and to mitigate or prevent 
severe flooding. 
Approved October 31, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5389: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 134 (1988): 
Oct. 4, 6, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 14, considered and passed Senate.