Eid joy elusive for flood victims
When people are making preparations to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, over eight lakh flood victims are struggling to manage food in Sirajganj, Dinajpur and Lalmonirhat.
Eid is a joyous occasion for Muslims but it brings no smile on the faces of around four lakh people in six upazilas of Sirajganj due to the floods this year, reports our Pabna correspondent.
Surprisingly, the government has not taken any special initiative this year although the special vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme used to run for the vulnerable people across the country ahead of the festival in previous years.
“In previous years, we had special VGF programme for the vulnerable people ahead of the festival. This year there is no VGF allotment as we are running regular relief programmes for giving food support for the flood victims,” said Abdur Rahim, district relief and rehabilitation officer in Sirajganj.
Many flood victims started returning to their homes after floodwater receded last week.
When asked about Eid preparation, 60-year-old Dalima of Shahzadpur upazila laughed and said “When I cannot manage necessary food for existence, it is nothing but ridiculous to think about Eid celebration.”
Meanwhile, the upcoming Eid celebration will bring no joy to Sadequl Islam and his family members, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.
His family is one of 1,56,000 flood affected families at Dakkhin Palashbari village in Chirirbandar upazila.
“I took shelter with my seven-member family on a high land after water flooded my houses on August 13,” said the 37-year-old rickshaw puller.
After four days, he along with his family members returned home and found the house badly damaged.
When this correspondent asked of his Eid celebration on Tuesday, Sadequl replied that he gave up the hope of celebrating the festival. “I did not earn a single taka in last 15 days,” he said.
“Last year, he gave new clothes to the children and me and shared the meat of sacrificial animal,” remembered Hameda Begum, wife of Sadequl.
According to our Lalmonirhat correspondent, Eid-ul-Azha will not bring joy for about three lakh flood-hit people in Teesta and Dharla river basin areas of five upazilas under the district this year as all of them are badly affected by flood.
DC Shafiul Arif said, he does not know why the government did not allocate VGF for vulnerable people for observing Eid this year.
Flood victim Jamiron Bewa, 70, of Sadar upazila said, “I have been passing days amid hardship. I'm half-starved and cannot celebrate the Eid this year.”
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