Relief distribution anomalies unacceptable

Thankfully, the flood situation in Sylhet region is showing signs of improvement. However, acute shortage of relief supplies and lack of safe drinking water have been worsening the plight of the affected. More than six lakh people have been affected by devastating flash floods in the region in the past week.

We have previously stressed the need to ramp up relief efforts in the affected areas. But now, there is an additional concern about anomalies in distribution of relief supplies—Moulvibazar is a case in point. Whereas it should have been deemed as good news that the district administration has been able to boost relief efforts, allegations of irregularities shed considerable doubt on the entire relief distribution process. Our local correspondent has found that most people have been receiving a lower amount of relief than they are entitled to in several unions in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar district. Then there are reports of people going back empty-handed despite queuing up for days because their "name was not on the list."

Even the UNO of Kulaura has acknowledged that affected people could be receiving less rice because rice coming in from the food depot was missing a few kilograms. This is completely unacceptable.

Such irregularities in relief distribution are nothing new. So why is it that the disaster management and relief ministry and local authorities have been unable to come up with any solutions to bring an end to these malpractices? We would like to remind the authorities that the affected people solely are entitled to relief supplies; how and why relief supplies are going missing is something that needs to be investigated. We would also like to reiterate that the disaster management and relief minister himself had made assurances that there is "no shortage of relief." As far as short-term aid is concerned, the ministry and relevant authorities must make it a priority to ensure that adequate relief supplies reach those who need them.