Marginalised people in hard-to-reach areas like char, haor, coastal and hilly areas are at risk of famine as they remain out of the relief activities and social awareness campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic, ActionAid and some of its partner organisations said.
They also said many floating people and slum dwellers in Dhaka city do not get relief as they do not have national ID cards of Dhaka.
The government relief distribution is also not designed, bearing the needs of children in mind.
They expressed concern over the rising incidents of violence against women and children.
Their observations came at a virtual press briefing held on Thursday.
The NGOs recommended separate relief design for char people including cash transfer, design relief package and other programmes keeping the children in mind, introduce rationing system for the poor people in remote hard to reach areas after every two weeks.
ActionAid country director Farah Kabir moderated the press briefing while ActionAid director (programme, policy and campaign) Asgar Ali Sabri read the keynote paper.
Mr Sabri said the consumer market has been squeezed and farmers cannot sell their produce due to transport and regional lockdown. Moreover, production capacity will shrink due to shortage of raw materials supply in the coming days. This may ultimately lead to famine, he said.
The incidents of violence against women have increased during lockdown, said Mr Sabri. The victims cannot even file complaints due to restrictions on movement, he added.
SKS Foundation executive director Russel Ahmed Liton said about 0.35 million people live in chars of Gaibandha district who are in a tight corner due to 'difficulty in communication'.
The only way for communication is boat and community radio. The people are not aware about coronavirus outbreak or lockdown as there is no arrangements for miking or other medium, he added.
The local administration is busy with relief work at upazila level, he said, adding that NGOs try to work in those chars by coordinating with the district and upazila administration which is not enough.
The relief distribution strategy for char people should not be like the mainland. The authority should provide cash so that the people in that areas can buy food as per their necessity by mobilising local produce and organising markets.
Executive Director of SUSHILON Mostafa Nuruzzaman said that people in coastal areas of Satkhira are not aware about the virus and lockdown. They are gathering to buy Tk 10 kg rice without maintaining social distancing.
The fishermen cannot go for fishing and even they have no income or get relief. Soon they may face famine, he said.
People in the slum areas of Dhaka are not worried about health, rather they are worried about food crises, one development activist said.
As slum dwellers come from various districts and are not permanent residents, they do not get relief as they do not have ID cards in Dhaka address.
As domestic helps do not have work now, they are afraid of famine, he said.
In Bandarban, people are facing acute shortage of drinking water and sanitation combined with food crises. The villages are geographically in remote areas from where markets are far away.
The authorities have no testing facilities and no activities in these areas.
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