Thanchi food crisis: BRAC for more govt steps

Urging the government to take immediate steps to tackle the ongoing food crisis in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban, experts today said the crisis might prolong.

Government efforts to distribute rice among the people in the area, one of the remotest parts of our country, is not enough as some 20,000 people in the upazila are facing the food shortage, said BRAC officials.

READ MORE: Hunger stalks life in remote Thanchi

BRAC, the world's largest non-government organisation, which has a programme in Thanchi organized a press conference in this regard at its headquarters in Mohakhali, Dhaka.

Until June 29, around 2,341 people were affected by malaria in the upazila and as a result they could not engage in any economic activities.

CAUSE OF FOOD SHORTAGE IN THACHI

"As it was Jhum (slash and burn) season they could not cultivate rice nor did they have rice seeds. So, they need seeds and money to restart cultivation," said Gawher Nayeem Wahra, director of BRAC Disaster Management and Climate Change Programme.

Having been through the severe shortage of food for months, some 25,000 people mostly from mro, khumi, tripura and marma communities learnt early June that they would soon get relief from the government.

READ MORE: Army carries rice to remote Thanchi areas

Adivasis have reportedly been scouring jungles to find food to survive.

Food shortage is not something unusual in remote areas of Thanchi. Every year, indigenous people have to face this situation because of damaged caused by pests like rats or insects to the jhum crops they harvest.

This year, the crisis worsened since indigenous people could not cultivate enough crops for themselves last year due to incessant rain.

Apart from the allotment of rice to tackle the ongoing crisis, the government allocates food every year under different schemes like Vulnerable Group Development, Vulnerable Group Feeding, General Relief, Open Market Sale etc.