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Renowned economist Dr. Atiur Rahman said that very soon Monga, famine like situation, would break out in the northern part of the country, urging all to stand by the side of affected people in a body.
He said the vast areas of the northern part are now under the grip of Monga but the government is turning a blind eye to the situation instead of handling it.
If the government continues to neglect it Monga will inevitably engulf the entire region within a span of one and a half month, he observed.
The economist made the observation while speaking at a seminar in the city Sunday organised by the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) on 'Crisis in Agricultural Sector and Failure of the Alliance Government-Future Plans', reports BDNEWS.
The AL organised the seminar as part of its series programmes on the fourth anniversary of the alliance government.
Party presidium member and former agriculture minister Begum Motia Chowdhury chaired the seminar while AL leader and agriculturist Abdur Razzak MP presented the keynote paper.
It was addressed, among others, by AL presidium member Abdur Razzak MP, Tofail Ahmed, M Anisuzzaman, Abdus Sattar Mandal, Abdul Mannan and agriculturist Mirza Abdul Jalil.
Swechhasebak League President agriculturist AFM Bahauddin Nasim moderated the discussion.
Atiur Rahman said failure in the agriculture sector and the coalition government are two sides of a coin, as the marginal peasants do not get any benefit of subsidy or agricultural loans.
He said everyone has to work for the interests of the farmers to build a self-reliant economy. It is necessary to take up peasant-friendly policies for the total development of the country.
Proper water management, establishment of agriculture-based industries, proper distribution of fertilisers and end of corruption are necessary to achieve the object, he added.
In his address, Abdur Razzak said the BNP-Jamaat coalition did not have any policy to increase production in agriculture sector and protect the interest of the farmers in the past and they still do not have any.
They could not make any development in the agricultural sector in the last four years. But the five-year rule of AL led by Sheikh Hasina was the golden age in the politics of Bangladesh, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Tofail Ahmed said that they made the country self-reliant achieving food autarky. But the coalition government made the country dependent on import in every sector.
Meanwhile, the Gonomukti O Jatiya Sampad Rokkha Sammilito Andolan (GJSRSA) also feared that the ongoing 'Monga' might turn into a long-lasting famine following the damage of crops by the floods.
The GJSRSA, a platform of some left-leaning political parties, demanded continuation of relief operation during the next three months in the Monga-affected northern districts.
It also demanded disbursement of necessary agriculture loans to the farmers without mortgage and waiver of interest on micro credits by NGOs.
Saiful Haque, member of the organisation, in a written statement, placed the demands at a press conference in the city Sunday.
Calling the famine like situation worse than what was reflected in the media, Saiful said: "Poor people are selling their labour in advance at cheaper than usual rates."
He said more than a hundred people had died of diarrhoea and other gastro-intestinal diseases.
The situation worsened as the sudden flood in northern Bangladesh increased the sufferings of the people, especially of the poor, he added.
"Aman crops have been damaged due to the flood," Saiful said.
The GJSRSA also announced a grand rally at city's Muktangan and a siege programme at the Disaster and Relief Ministry tomorrow (Tuesday) to push its demand.
Leaders of the left-leaning organisations Abdullah Sarkar, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Hamidul Haque and Kamrul Alam Sabuj were present at the press conference.
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