Low wage earners, especially the day-labourers, rickshaw-van pullers, and small business owners are struggling to make ends meet as their income sources were disrupted due to the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus.
It has been three weeks since the country is in lockdown, and for many people, relief from the government or volunteers is the only way to escape hunger.
Some of them who used to live on their day to day earnings are in a dilemma as they cannot seek help because of shyness and social stigma.
On April 5, the government started a rice selling initiative at Tk10 per kg under the Food Ministry’s special open market sale (OMS) banner for the poor and helpless citizens across the country as an effective way to help these low wage earners.
The program was stopped on April 13 due to the urgency of maintaining social distancing as there were long queues.
However, several media outlets reported that the government paused the initiative to make some changes in order to stop the theft and corruption of some field-level service providers in the supply chain.
A housekeeper, Rehana Begum lost her job due to the pandemic and within the first few days of lockdown in the capital, she ran out of food.
Rehana, a resident of Bashbari slum in Mohammadpur, is now going door to door in search of relief.
“I worked at a house in Postagola. They stopped my service without paying my salary. I was on an empty stomach, and lived off only water and snacks for five days. Police helped me to get my salary when I called 999. Police also gave me some rice,” Rehana said.
There are 360 rooms in Bashbari slum. Most of the residents have gone to their villages already. Many of them received relief earlier but Rehana claimed she did not get any as local administration told her she is not a local voter.
More than 100 women and children were seen waiting in front of a house in Mirpur’s Jafrabad area where a local announced that he will distribute some reliefs.
Many of them echoed concerns like Rehana that they want to buy rice from OMS points but currently cannot.
Housewife Nadira Begum was able to buy 5 kg rice after showing national identity card on April 5. But this amount of rice is not sufficient for her family of five.
Considering the current situation Halima, Fulmala, Jarina Begum, Sahanur Sonai Shilpi, Kajol, Nasima and hundreds of thousands are facing the same problem and need emergency assistance from the state.
Govt setting up OMS again soon
Food Ministry's Secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum told Dhaka Tribune: “We have already sent a letter to all DCs across the country on Wednesday. I hope they can start selling again within April 20.”
The new letter directed that the district administration will make a list of poor and lower-income people in the area who were not included in any social safety net program, the secretary added.
Housewife Nasima from Zafrabad pointed out that lower-income people still have their self-respect.
She said: “I don't want help from anyone, if government provides us the Tk10 kg rice or relief at our doorstep then many of us can survive.”
On Wednesday, a press release was issued by the food ministry that claimed there is no food shortage as the ministry collected enough paddy in the recent Boro and Amon seasons and stored them.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder demanded health insurance for employees, which was earlier declared for doctors by the Prime Minister.
The Minister informed that one Suruj Miah, a security guard in Central Storage Depot (CSD) at Narayanganj, has died from Covid-19 infection on Wednesday morning.
He said, "Legal action including departmental action will be taken against the employees if anyone gets involved in the irregularities and corruption. Dealership cancellation and legal action will be taken against the dealers, if they are involved in any kind of corruption."