DHAKA: An anonymous individual has donated $130 million to build hundreds of schools and cyclone shelters along Bangladesh’s cyclone-devastated southern coast, an official said on Wednesday.

“This is the single biggest donation by an individual philanthropist in the country’s history,” finance ministry official Aminul Islam Bhuiyan said.

The money, given to the Islamic Development Bank, will be used to construct more than 500 schools that can also be used as community storm shelters.

“We do not want to know his name as the IDB maintains strict confidentiality. But it is a very good news for millions of people,” Bhuiyan said.

Disaster-prone Bangladesh’s southern coastal districts were hit by Cyclone Sidr on Nov 15. It wiped out villages, infrastructure and crops, killed more than 3,300 people and left millions homeless and dependent on food aid.

Bangladesh has appealed for $2.2 billion in aid for the cyclone-hit area, and has received more than half a billion dollars in pledges.—AFP