A MEETING of the Bangladeshi community in Ipswich was due to be held today to discuss fundraising ideas following the devastating cyclone in the Indian sub-continent.

A MEETING of the Bangladeshi community in Ipswich was due to be held today to discuss fundraising ideas following the devastating cyclone in the Indian sub-continent.

It is thought up to 10,000 people have died in Bangladesh and thousands more have been left homeless after a cyclone struck the low-lying country last week.

Members of the community centre situated next to the mosque in Bond Street Ipswich, were due to gather together today to talk about the next step to take.

They have already organised events to help victims of the recent heavy floods in the country but now the community will be seeking to come up with new fundraising ideas for this latest tragedy.

Mahbub Alam Shamim, a member of the community, said: “We are going to be talking about what we can do to raise money.

“We have been trying to raise money for the floods and now this has happened. We do have to do something but it is a matter of getting together with everyone and seeing what ideas come up.”

There is a fundraising event for the flood victims to be held on November 27 at Bombay Nite restaurant in Felixstowe. Half the proceeds will go towards the fund and there will also be a raffle and quizzes on the night.

An international relief effort, supported by donations from the UN, Britain, US and Europe, has now been started as it is estimated 900,000 families had been affected by the cyclone.

Can you help the stricken nation in the wake of the latest tragedy?Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.