The flood-devastated people who had taken shelter at the embankment were disappointed yesterday as an engine-boat with only a few journalists and no "relief" turned up.

As The Daily Star correspondent was taking photos, he was startled by a grumbling yet desperate voice. "What will photos do? Don't take photos... it won't solve our problems... it won't feed my child," a woman with a nine-month-old child wrapped in a black polyethylene said.

"Stop taking photos and give me some milk for my child if you can," she said as her grumbling turned into a plea before she finally broke down in tears.

Monera Khatun, 26, of Gunergati and her child Remon have been passing some of their days half-fed and on some days nothing at all. She cannot breastfeed Remon as she herself has not had enough food recently.

They were not way deep inside, the embankment is only 4km from the district town. Her husband Ismail Hossain used to be a labourer but the floods have rendered him unemployed and homeless. They took shelter on the embankment about a week ago. Monera cannot afford to buy milk from the local market now.

However, she was one of the lucky ones who received some relief food a few days ago but there were no milk or baby food in that ration.

Monera is not alone. There are many like her who are desperate for milk or baby food.

Returning from the embankment, The Daily Star correspondent asked Deputy Commissioner of Sirajganj Ibrahim Khalil about the issue. He said he was aware of the problem and he had already sought milk and baby food from higher authorities for distribution among the destitute.