13920/2GAZETTE & HERALD: Calne restaurant owner Ala Uddin is planning to go to Bangladesh to provide flood victims with food, medical care and shelter after raising £2,500 at his charity buffet evening.

He is now hoping to raise more cash for the Bangladesh Flood Appeal with another charity meal at Melksham Town Hall on September 12 in an evening arranged with three other restaurants.

Mr Uddin, 37, who is from Biswanaph, in Bangladesh, held the charity evening at his Spice of Bengal restaurant in Wood Street, Calne, after seeing reports of the floods on television and being told by friends and family about how bad the situation was.

He decided to invite prominent councillors, businessmen and others to the event and charged them £15 for a meal with all the money going towards the fund.

Mr Uddin said that he was extremely happy with the turnout and was now looking forward to returning to the Fylhet region of Bangladesh. Mr Uddin said: "It went very well. We did expect over 100 and there were.

"It was a very good and enjoyable evening. The support from the local people was excellent."

Mr Uddin said that he decided to help after talking on the phone with friends and family in Bangladesh and seeing television pictures of the disaster.

"When I saw the news and all the telephone calls that I had about people suffering a lot because of this flood and people having nowhere to live I thought I can do a little bit to help," he said.

"In a few weeks time I will go back home and distribute it to the poor people in Bangladesh.

"What I will do is distribute some medicine and food and I will try to put some roofs over the people's heads as so many people have nowhere to live.

"If I go to Bangladesh then I can make sure the money is going to the right people."

Mr Uddin, who hopes the Melksham charity meal is as successful at the one in his Calne restaurant, said that he will buy the supplies in Bangladesh and will stay with relatives when he goes there.

"I will stay in my home land of Biswanaph in a relative's house," he said. "All my relatives will be helping me when I am out there. They think it is a very good cause and are very pleased with what I have done so far.

"I'm going to buy my supplies in Bangladesh as otherwise there will be very high travelling costs. I will buy them there and hopefully I can get more with the money we raise on September 12."

Mr Uddin, who is planning the trip for mid to late September, said he is pleased with the support he has received.

"I have had support from friends and customers and local councillors and the mayor," he said. "Every councillor, mayor and ex-mayor was so pleased and enjoyed the evening at the same time.

"The evening was so enjoyable and everyone enjoyed the genuine Bangladeshi food."

The floods in Bangladesh have caused an estimated £7 billion damage and around 20 million people will need food aid until the end of the year. Floodwaters covered 60 per cent of the country, killing more than 600 people and making 30 million people homeless.

Mr Uddin, who moved to London 25 years ago with his brothers, sister and mother to join his father, said this trip will be far different to his last.

"I last went to Bangladesh in January but just for a holiday and to visit relatives," he said.

"The situation has got worse because the floods have gone now but they have nowhere to live, there is disease and things are bad at the moment."

Anybody who would like to donate money towards the Bangladesh Flood Appeal can contact Mr Uddin at The Spice of Bengal on (01249) 811833.