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A. a.(1)(a) i) a)DocumentҲa1DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!*F *  ׃  2qea2DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!**    a3DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!*0     a4DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!*   . a5DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!*  2Ke p p ca6DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!*  a7DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!* ` ` ` a8DocumentE+ȯDocument StyleOg=(8%"!* ` ` ` Tech Init"6G-Initialize Technical Style%""*ȯ%E  1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 Technical2 } -^ a1Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#* 4!     a2Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#* *    a3Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*'   a4Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*&   28 $  .  a5Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*&   . a6Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*&!"  . a7Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*&#$  . a8Technical+ȯTechnical Document Styleg=(8%"#*&%&  . 24j epssPleading%$6G-Header for numbered pleading paper*ȯ%E'(   ,#x  @;X@# X  y*dddyy*dddy HH1 HH2 HH3 HH4 HH5 HH6 HH7 HH8 HH9 H10 H11 H12 H13 H14 H15 H16 H17 H18 H19 H20 H21 H22 H23 H24 H25 H26 H27 H28   ӼHeading 2(6G-Underlined Heading Flush Left(*ȯ%E)* Heading 1)6G-Centered Heading(8%")*ȯ%E+,* Ã  Bullet List6G-Indented Bullet List8%"**ȯ%E-.` ` ` 2Ea1Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*8/0@   a2Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*A12@` `  ` ` ` a3Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*J34` ` @  ` `  a4Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*S56` `  @  2~=a5Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*\78` `  @hh# hhh a6Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*e9:` `  hh#@( hh# a7Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*n;<` `  hh#(@- ( a8Right Par+ȯRight-Aligned Paragraph Numbers8%"9*w=>` `  hh#(-@pp2 -ppp 20ЊX0Í ÍX0Í Íҫx  @;X@<  9`("Courier 10cpiXx  @;X@<  9`("Courier 10cpiXixP7P,xA`&Univers (Scalable)2#|i#ixP7P# %BANGLADESH ă FY 1997 Development Assistance:p(#C$50,780,000 FY 1997 P.L. 480 Title II: p(#C$18,800,000 Introduction Bangladesh is one of the poorest, most populous democracies in South Asia, with a solid record of good government economic performance. Bangladesh also has a strong record of support for U.S. positions in international fora, including participation in international peacekeeping missions. U.S. interest is primarily humanitarian, focused on poverty reduction. However, the large U.S. food debt coming due for repayment and the potential for market development and trade expansion provide further impetus for the United States to foster sustainable development. The need to increase disaster preparedness to reduce the cost of disaster relief provides additional rational for U.S. assistance. The Development Challenge Bangladesh is the world's most densely populated agricultural country, with a population base of 120 million and with 830 people per square kilometer. This extreme population pressure on the country's resources, combined with a number of unfavorable socioeconomic factors, makes Bangladesh one of the poorest countries in the world. Some 50 million Bangladeshi citizens live below the poverty line, measured by consumption of less than 2,122 calories a day, the minimum caloric standard for an average adult. In spite of the high levels of poverty, Bangladesh has made considerable progress in a number of social and economic areas over the past five years. Recent surveys show improvements in rural living standards and a modest decline in the proportion of Bangladeshis living below the poverty line. Contraceptive use is at an historic high, resulting in a significant reduction in fertility rates and demonstrating that even poor countries can restrain population growth. Improvements in emergency response, agricultural policies and related food production increases since 1989 have allowed the country to avert famine during recent droughts, cyclones and floods. Bangladesh also has undertaken a number of reforms in privatizing its agricultural, financial and industrial sectors, which have paid dividends in reducing government budget deficits and lowering food and essential commodity prices. The 1991 parliamentary and 1992 local elections were generally considered free and fair. The importance of these achievements must to be viewed in the context of a country that faces recurring natural disasters and has a natural resource base which is among the most stressed in the developing world. USAID has played an important role in Bangladesh's recent achievements. In the agricultural sector, USAID efforts over the past five years have led to privatization of the fertilizer sector and privatization of the domestic grain trade. This, coupled with the expanded use of irrigation, has done more to lower the cost of farming for small landholders and the cost of food for rural and urban poor than any other achievements. In the area of health and family planning, USAID has played a major role in increasing the use of contraceptives, oral rehydration salts and urban vaccinations, which have directly contributed to the decline in fertility rates and in infant and child mortality. USAID's successes in health and family planning are now allowing a transition to a more selfsustaining development program, and are expected to greatly diminish the need for USAID resources in this sector in coming years. In the democracy sector, USAID assistance has enhanced the role of domestic election monitors, developed costeffective dispute resolution methods, and strengthened civil society organizations. Even with its reasonably good record of development performance, Bangladesh is not an early candidate for rapid graduation from traditional development assistance. While substantial progress has been achieved, poverty levels with the attendant high levels of malnutrition, illiteracy, and other socioeconomic problems remain high. Significant increases in economic growth must be achieved before poverty levels can decline dramatically, allowing domestic production and trade to replace external assistance. Bangladesh also owes some external debts, including approximately $700 million to the United States for P.L. 480 Titles I and III food imports, which will reduce the government's economic investments in the coming years. Other Donors USAID and the donor community pledged almost $2 billion this year for development activities in Bangladesh. The United States provides about 4% of all donor assistance to Bangladesh. Other major contributors include: the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, the United Nations agencies, and the International Monetary Fund. FY 1997 Program  USAID's strategy for helping Bangladesh reach and maintain lower poverty levels concentrates on achieving sustained replacement fertility levels, improved health status of the population, food security for the poor, and broadened participation by the poor in democratic institutions and processes. Through these combined foci, USAID expects to assist millions of poor Bangladeshis to attain a higher standard of living. Support for family planning and maternal and child health programs leads to smaller and healthier families, thereby reducing pressures on the country's finite land base and resources. Programs that work to increase access to, availability of and utilization of food by the poor lead to reduced hunger, which in turn allows the country to be more productive. Broadening participation in democratic processes is expected to lead to greater attention to the needs of the poor in the distribution of the nation's resources. All of these factors contribute to U.S. national interests in making Bangladesh more stable and selfsupporting. This will allow the country to become a better customer for U.S. products and technology. In recent years, the program has emphasized health and population activities. However, if health and population activities are to become truly sustainable, household incomes must increase, people must be wellfed, and public policies must be more focused on poverty reduction. Accordingly, our 1997 program also emphasizes economic growth and democracy. X` / hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8: