Ensure food for ethnic communities

A recent report published in this daily sheds light on the dire situation faced by a large population consisting of multiple ethnic minorities spread across the country, who remain at risk of being ignored from receiving aid, mainly food relief, during this pandemic. Poverty is not the only worry for these already marginalised communities, as they are also faced with exclusion during such vulnerable times.

While the various stimulus packages introduced by the government as measures to absorb economic shocks are reassuring, it should be taken into consideration that of the nearly 40 lakh people belonging to diverse ethnic communities, many could not access the relief programmes during the ongoing lockdown. Around 15 lakh people belonging to different ethnic minority groups are facing food crisis in Rajshahi and Rangpur. The Hajong and Banai communities in Nalitabari, Dhobaura, Durgapur, Kolmakanda, Maddyanagar and Taherpur are said to be suffering a similar fate. Access to food and relief remains a big challenge for indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and for tea workers in Sylhet, along with many other marginalised communities such as the Bede, Hijra and Dalit.

In the current crisis, the woes of these people have intensified. If such conditions persist, many may go hungry. We recommend that the government, along with the concerned organisations, should immediately chalk out the logistics to provide resources in a coordinated and concentrated manner in order to ensure food security for the minorities at large and help to mitigate their suffering.