Standard Chartered Bangladesh has announced a Tk 135 million (USD 1.6 million) strategic action plan that supports healthcare and immediate assistance, regenerate livelihood and catalyse long-term growth.

The new measures announced for 2021 included immediate assistance through emergency food relief distribution for Covid-19 affected marginalised communities, health support, livelihood regeneration and long-term growth catalysis through education support programme.

Medical equipment for healthcare facilities and frontline health workers, Oxygen concentrators for impacted patients, medical treatment support for critically impacted patients and awareness building drive focusing on prevention of and protection from Covid-19, and post-Covid-19 health care are included under the health support.

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Standard Chartered Bangladesh CEO Naser Ezaz Bijoy said that helping communities rise above Covid-19 remains as important as ever.

"This is why we are announcing another comprehensive, multi-pronged, Covid-19 response plan for the community, just as we did last year,” he said.

He said that the plan builds on its extensive initiatives from 2020, but is more diverse in scope, which we believe will be more impactful.”

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Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing, Standard Chartered Bangladesh Bitopi Das Chowdhury said, “The pandemic has reshaped our lives permanently and will leave lasting impacts on all of us.”

“While addressing the immediate needs of the COVID affected people will continue to be our priority,” he said.