Sajek hit hard by food crisis

Karoti Tripura, a housewife at Beatbunia under Sajek in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati, walked four long hours to collect only 10 kilogrammes of rice on Monday.

The upazila parishad distributed the rice as relief among the people starving due to ongoing food crisis.

Many others like Karoti Tripura from Beatbunia village had the long walk to Machalong Bazar for relief that day and were given inadequate rice.

Sajek union parishad also distributed rice among the starving people of wards no 5, 6 and 9.

Chironjit Tripura of Chailyatoli village told The Daily Star that they have been unemployed and would do any work for a living.

Many people of Sajek have been facing food crisis for last three months. Local government representatives have been seeking government assistance to feed them. In response, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief allocated five tonnes of rice for the union. The Upazila Parishad distributed the relief among 500 families.

The local representatives said the relief was very inadequate and most of the people did not receive any food aid.

Sumita Chakma, vice-chairman of Baghaichhari upazila, said, “Sajek union has many problems. Of them, food crisis is the major one. Besides, drinking water, mother and child health, and sanitation problems are also persisting.”

Barha Hrishi Chakma, chairman of Baghaichhari upazila, said, “There are 50,000 people in Sajek union. At least 2,500 families of them have been facing food crisis.”