Tribune Desk
File photo: Locals, mostly day labourers, who』ve been put out of jobs demonstrate on the Dhaka-Barisal Highway seeking relief materials to survive in Gopalganj on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 Dhaka Tribune
The ongoing protest, which is growing day by day, claims that there is a possibility of dying out of hunger before the disease even put its clasp on people
Thousands of underprivileged people have taken to the streets demanding food for themselves and their families amid the nationwide lockdowns and government restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The ongoing protest, which is growing day by day, claims that there is a possibility of dying out of hunger before the disease even put its clasp on people.
Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday ordered the Awami League and its affiliated organisations to form a relief committee and asked them to ensure delivering relief materials to those in need, yet these are rarely being implemented, the protesters said.
In Rangpur, hundreds of underprivileged people have demonstrated in front of the Member of Parliament (MP) of Rangpur-3 constituency, Saad Ershad’s house --who is the son of late Hussain Muhammad Ershad, former President of Bangladesh --demanding food and reliefs from 10 am yesterday.
The protesters besieged Palli Nibas, Saad’s residence in Darshana and also staged a blockade on the Rangpur-Dhaka Highway claiming that the MP has not provided any reliefs to the underprivileged people but is only leveraging his power to lead a luxurious lifestyle in the capital since he had been elected.
Monowar Hossain, Rahima and Anowara Begum, residents of the city, said that Saad Ershad’s late father used to help them whenever possible and after his demise, they elected his son with the hope of getting the same treatment as they received from the late former president.
When contacted, same accusations echoed among the party workers that Saad has failed to prove his leadership as an MP and not only the underprivileged but they too are distressed about his accountability.
In Kurigram, hundreds of people came out to streets demanding food and staged a blockade in Ulipur-Rajarhat road yesterday.
The protesters alleged people from other areas have received reliefs three times but they did not receive any reliefs from any private or public organisation.
Mostafizar, Abu Miah among other protesters said they remained out of the scope of any help and until their demands have been met they will not leave the street.
Hearing the incident, Assistant Commissioner (AC Land) of the district Sohel Sultan visited the area and by promising proper relief brought the situation under control.
He said: 「Almost 39,000 people live in this area. It is possible to miss out some of them but most of the people are provided rations by the authority to my knowledge.」
He assured Dhaka Tribune that another extensive list has been made on the spot and relief will be ensured soon enough.
In Satkhira, around a thousand people who have become jobless amid the ongoing shutdown staged demonstrations in front of Satkhira Medical College Hospital in the town on yesterday demanding relief.
Abul Hossain, general secretary of Communist Party Bangladesh Satkhira unit, said that there are 5,000 people in the area but till now they did not receive any relief. Though ward councillor Shahidul Islam was informed several times no initiative was taken, he said.
In Jessore, hundreds of unemployed and underprivileged people came out on the street on Wednesday and demonstrated demanding food aid at Pulerhat area under Chachra union.
Protesters said they got no food aid from the government even after going to offices and houses of local representatives.
Our correspondents Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur; Ariful Islam, Kurigram, Tauhid Zaman, Jessore, and Md Asaduzzaman Sarder, Satkhira contributed to the report.
Covid-19:成千上萬的人走上街頭，要求救濟，食物達卡論壇報
資料照片:當地人，主要是日工，被解僱的人在達卡-巴裡薩爾高速公路上示威，尋求救援物資，以生存在戈帕甘，
達卡論壇報
正在進行的抗議日益增多，聲稱在疾病傳染給人們之前就有可能餓死
在全國範圍的封鎖和政府阻止Covid-19病毒傳播的限制下，成千上萬的貧困人口走上街頭，為自己和家人索要食物。
正在進行的抗議日益增多，聲稱在疾病傳染給人們之前就有可能餓死。
抗議者說，儘管總理謝赫·哈西娜(Sheikh Hasina)周三下令人民聯盟(Awami League)及其附屬組織成立一個救援委員會，並要求他們確保向有需要的人運送救援物資，但這些物資很少得到落實。
在蘭布爾從昨天上午10點開始，數百名貧困的人在蘭布爾3選區的議員面前示威，要求食物和救濟。蘭布爾3選區議員是已故孟加拉國前總統海珊·穆罕默德·艾爾沙德的兒子。
抗議者包圍了帕利·尼巴斯(Palli Nibas)，即薩德在達爾沙納的住所，並在蘭布爾-達卡高速公路上實施封鎖，聲稱下院議員沒有為貧困人口提供任何救濟，而只是利用他的權力，自當選以來在首都過著奢侈的生活。
該市的居民莫諾瓦爾·海珊(Monowar Hossain)、拉希馬(Rahima)和阿諾瓦拉·貝古姆(Anowara Begum)說，薩德·艾爾沙德(Saad Ershad)已故的父親過去總是儘可能地幫助他們，在他去世後，他們選擇了他的兒子，希望能得到與已故前總統一樣的待遇。
當人們聯繫他時，同樣的控訴在黨內人士中傳播，薩阿德未能證明他作為議員的領導地位，不僅是弱勢群體，而且他們也對他的那點責任感到失落。
在Kurigram昨天，數百人走上街頭索要食物，並在烏利普爾-拉賈拉特公路實施封鎖。
抗議者聲稱來自其他地區的人已經獲得三次救濟，但他們沒有從任何私人或公共組織獲得任何救濟。
穆斯塔法扎爾、阿布米耶和其他抗議者說，他們仍然不在任何幫助的範圍之內，在他們的要求得到滿足之前，他們不會離開街道。
聽到這一事件，索赫爾蘇丹區助理專員(土地)訪問了該地區，並承諾適當的救濟使局勢得到控制。
他說:「將近39，000人生活在這個地區。有可能漏掉其中一些人，但據我所知，大多數人是由當局提供口糧的。」
他向《達卡論壇報》保證，另一份詳盡的名單已經在現場列出，救援工作將很快得到保證。
在Satkhira在持續的停工中，大約一千名失業人員昨天在該鎮的薩奇拉醫學院醫院前舉行示威，要求救濟。
孟加拉國共產黨黨總支總書記阿布·海珊說，該地區有5000人，但迄今為止他們沒有得到任何救濟。他說，儘管選區議員沙希杜爾·伊斯拉姆數次被告知沒有採取任何舉措。
在Jessore周三，數百名失業和貧困的人走上街頭，在查克拉聯盟領導下的普勒哈特地區示威，要求食品援助。
抗議者說，即使去了當地代表的辦公室和家裡，他們也沒有得到政府的食品援助。
記者Liakat Ali Badal，蘭布爾；阿里富·伊斯蘭、庫裡格拉姆、陶希德·扎曼、耶索爾和阿薩杜扎曼·薩德、薩奇拉為該報告供稿。