Food Crisis in CHTs

By Rupayan Dewan
Councillor, CHT Regional Council, Bangladesh

Munindra Tripura, a social worker from Alikadam of south CHT reports me today over telephone that he is just back from remotest areas of Myanmar border with an alarming experience about massive food crisis. He confirms me that he has collected names of more than 1,000 starving families of remotest areas of Alikadam Upazila.

The Parothom Alo, prestigious national daily in Bangladesh reports yesterday that the starving inhabitants of Sajek have been experiencing signs and symptoms of different diseases due to their complete dependency on wild potatoes. It reports that now even wild potatoes have been exhausted.

The relief so far released from the Government and UNDP is very meager. It needs well coordinated and generous support of cash, kinds and works including medical support to help survive the starving families the way all rushed to Sidr effected areas. It is expected that the LCG, forum of all donors, chaired by the World Bank Country Director, Dhaka will give utmost importance to this issue in its meeting on 30 March 2008.