A number of families living in the hilly areas of Thanchi Upazila in Bandarban, along the border with Myanmar, are currently surviving on bamboo shoots due to a severe food crisis.
As a result, thousands of people, especially children, are suffering from malnutrition.
Local people said the food shortage was caused by inclement weather and poor paddy harvests in the hilly region of the country.
People in Durgam and Remakri union parishads are heavily relying on bamboo shoots, they added.
They said there are at least 20 families in Menhat Mro ward under Bulu Mro Para BGB camp, 14 families in Bulu Mro ward, 16 families in Tangkhoya Mro ward, five in Markshyong Jhiri ward, and eight families in Kongkong Tripura ward who have been collecting food from the mountains.
Mro Karbari, a local resident, said Jhum production, also known as shifting cultivation, was hit hard by bad weather this year. As a result, a large number of families are left with little rice to survive on.
He said there are eight camps of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in Alikadam. Each camp has 19 villages under it. If villagers start to roam around or leave their houses for food, then the environment might get damaged.
According to locals, over 95% of people in the area depend on jhum cultivation.
Locals said that children are crying due to hunger. As the villagers do not have the financial ability to purchase rice, boiled bamboo shoots are their only hope now. Many are going door to door to collect rice. Some are harvesting paddy ahead of time to feed their children.
Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Md Wahiduzzaman Murad has sent a nurse along with medicine to Thanchi Health Complex to provide primary medical care to the children as their health is at risk.
Remakri Union Chairman Muishithui Marma Roni said: “Our union's ward member Mangchan informed me about the food shortage. I have informed the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of the matter. He has immediately allocated one ton of rice. Arrangements will be made to lift the rice from the Thanchi food warehouse as soon as possible.”
UNO Mohammad Mamun said that there is no mobile network in the border villages. As a result, they received the news of a food shortage on May 1 through some local journalists.
The UNO said he has already sent rice to the villages through engine boats, and the authorities have communicated to send more food grains until the paddy is ripe and can be harvested.
Locals believe that the food shortage will reduce a great deal if the government continues its support in the villages.
A similar food crisis was witnessed in several upazilas in Bandarban in 2012 as well.
