Putting the poor in the soup

Government's employment generating programme meant for ultra poor people is yet to start in monga-prone Jaldhaka and Kishoreganj upazilas of the district although the period of the 40-day programme expires on April 20.
Feud among selection committee members belonging to different political parties in the unions and factional feud of ruling Awami League men over compiling lists of beneficiaries has created the deadlock, depriving 15 thousand extreme poor of getting employment opportunity in the lean period.
The project funds may have to be returned if the April 20 deadline expires without implementation of the programme, said the upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) of Jaldhaka and Kishoreganj.
After successful completion of a 60-day employment generating programme in November-December last year, the government initiated second phase of the programme to create employment opportunity for about 50 thousand ultra-poor people in six upazilas of the district for more 40 days, said District Relief Officer (DRO) Amzad Hossain.
The period of the second phase is from March 10 to April 20.
There are 9.5 thousand prospective beneficiaries in Jaldhaka upazila and 5.5 thousand in Kishoreganj upazila. Under this programme a beneficiary is supposed to get Tk 120/ a day for working in various rural development fields.
A nine-member committee comprising local body representatives, elite, social workers, women and members of professional groups is supposed to make lists of beneficiaries for finalising by the upazila selection committee headed by UNO, the DRO said.
In all the unions of Jaldhaka upazila, activists of four political parties were included in selection committees as the lawmaker from Jaldhaka is from Jatiya Party, upazila chairman is from Jamaat-e-Islami, upazila vice chairman is from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal while different factions of ruling Awami League men try to dominate the committees.
Almost in all unions, the number of committee members exceeded nine.
The committee members usually insist inclusion of the names of their men in lists of beneficiaries while there are allegations that several committee members took Tk 10001500 as bribe from poor people on condition to include their names in the list, sources said.
The programme could not start in the upazila as the 12 union selection committees could not submit lists of beneficiaries as of yesterday, said Jaldhaka UNO Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan.
There is often dispute among committee members from different political parties over including names of their men in the list of beneficiaries and dissatisfied members refrain from putting their signature in the final list, creating deadlock in launching the programme, he said.
In Kishorganj upazila, the programme could not start in nine of the ten unions as the committees concerned failed to prepare lists of beneficiaries.
Internal feud among different groups of local Awami League is almost open over inclusion of their men in the lists of prospective beneficiaries.
Chairmen and councillors of the respective union parishads also show interest in the matter.
"On April 4, I served a 'final notice' asking for submission of lists of beneficiaries immediately as the programme expires on April 20," said Kishoreganj UNO Dr Ziauddin.
It is difficult to reach consensus as members of four political parties are included in the union selection committees, said Khutamara union parishad Chairman Abu Sayeed Shamim, also general secretary of Jaldhaka unit union parishad chairmen's forum.
He said pro-Jamaat selection committees, chosen by the upazila chairman, who is a Jamaat leader, are refraining from putting signature on the list of beneficiaries as the lists are not up to their satisfaction.
Jaldhaka upazila Chairman Sayed Ali, on the other hand, said problems are not with Jamaat men but with those from Awami League and Jatiya Party.
Several thousand ultra poor people recently staged demonstration in front of Kishorganj UNO office protesting corruption of a section of selection committee members and demanding early implementation of the programme.