Without ensuring food and other essentials, forcing people to stay at home is inhumane

LOW-INCOME people are suffering greatly almost all over the country, especially in the capital, during this curfew.

The crisis of food and other essentials has deepened with the extension of government holidays and the complete shutdown announced by students in support of their quota reform movement.

The low-income group, who live on day-to-day income, have already been out of work for the last few days, while prices of essential items have remained high in the market due to the students’ protests across the country.

The jobless people are crowding the streets despite law enforcers maintaining tight vigilance to keep the law and order situation under control.

In this situation, the poor people are in fear of dying from starvation unless the affluent section of society comes forward with all-out assistance.

Therefore, disobeying the government’s instruction to stay at home, the poor people are coming out to collect foodstuffs, defying the curfew and government orders.

On Wednesday, most of the kitchen markets in the capital ran out of their supplies even before noon, with dozens of lower-middle and middle-class people turning up to get sugar, lentils, onions, and soybean oil at fair prices as were sold during normal times.

The daily income of a fifth of more than 16 crore people in Bangladesh remains less than Tk 300, which is insufficient for everyday food intake, minimum housing, healthcare, and education.

It is also reported that in some areas, electricity supply has been disrupted due to non-payment of pre-paid meter bills.

Many people were unable to pay their electricity dues as banks and other financial institutions were closed during this national crisis.

Due to the system mechanism, electricity connections have been cut automatically as dues remain unpaid.

The electricity authority must apply their intimate efforts to keep the power supply uninterrupted in this situation.

To help the ultra-poor and marginal-income groups, the government must ensure an uninterrupted supply of food and other essentials, regardless of the situation.

Additionally, their house rent, electricity, and gas bills should be considered for late payment.