A Norwich restaurant manager is hoping to raise money to distribute food to those affected by the deadly flooding in Bangladesh.

Eastern Daily Press: Monty Ali from Rishi restaurant, Norwich, is launching an appeal to raise funds for his home village that has been destroyed in floods. Picture: Nick ButcherMonty Ali from Rishi restaurant, Norwich, is launching an appeal to raise funds for his home village that has been destroyed in floods. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2017)

Monty Ali, who works at Rishi on Mousehold Lane, said he decided to take action after seeing images of children forced to beg for food in the flood water.

Large swathes of the country have been hit by severe flooding over the past few weeks, affecting more than 8m people and killing 145.

Now, Mr Ali, 49, is aiming to raise money to help those living in his city of birth, Sylhet, in the north east of Bangladesh.

On Sunday, September 17, he will be hosting a flood appeal charity night at the restaurant, with all money donated to flood victims.

He said: 'I saw photographs on Facebook of children who are two or three years old, in the water, and begging for food. That is what made me really sad.

'I asked my staff [about hosting a charity night] and we decided that whatever we make from the evening, we will donate.'

Mr Ali, who moved to England aged five, but still has family in Sylhet, said he was hoping to raise around £6,000.

He said the area where he was born was 'really poor', and was in desperate need of clean water and food.

Despite the scale of the floods across South Asia, much of the world's attention has been elsewhere, with news outlets focussing their coverage on Hurricane Irma.

In Bangladesh alone, around 100,000 homes are estimated to have been destroyed by flooding and millions of hectares of crops wiped out.

The International Federation of the Red Cross said there had been more than 13,000 cases of waterborne diseases reported in affected areas over the past three weeks.

During the charity night at Rishi, customers will be able to enjoy all of the regular menu items. But there will also be a DJ playing Bollywood music in the background.

Mr Ali added: 'My plan is to either go out there myself and buy bags of rice to hand out with my own hands, or get someone else out there to do it.

'I am just trying to help as best as I can.'

To book a table, call 01603 482627, email info@rishi-norwich.co.uk or visit www.rishi-norwich.co.uk.