Eid brings no joy

This year, Eid-ul-Fitr did not bring any joy for the ultra poor people of five upazilas of the district, especially in the Teesta and Dharla river basin areas, as they were not able to buy even vermicelli and sugar, let alone new clothes.

Sekherbanu Begum, 47, her ailing husband Moinuddin Mia, 58, and their daughter Marufa Akhter, 9, of Teesta river basin village Bagdora in Sadar upazila were crying as there was no food in their house on Eid day.

“We did not have breakfast and lunch on Eid day,” said Sekherbanu Begum. “My daughter and ailing husband wanted food from me but I failed to give them food as I was jobless during Eid day,” she said, adding that she earned her livelihood as a day labourer in the village.

Sekherbanu said she went to the union parishad (UP) member and chairman to get a Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) card but she did not get it. “The joy of Eid is not for us, as we cannot buy new clothes and good food to observe the day,” she added.

Mahmuda Begum, 33, wife of Bablu Mia of the village, said they could not enjoy Eid as they were not able to purchase new clothes or vermicelli and sugar this year. “We, the vulnerable people in the village, did not get VGF card, whereas many well-to-do families got the card,” she said, adding that Eid brings only sorrow for them.

However, Julekha Bewa, 62, widow of late Khadimuddin Mia of Shiberkuti village in Sadar upazila, said she got 13 kg of wheat before Eid but she did not use it on Eid day. “Earlier we were given rice as relief material before Eid, and we used it during Eid, but it was different this year,” she said.  

Office Assistant of District Relief and Rehabilitation Office Abul Kalam Azad said 7,68,430 kg of rice was allocated against 76,843 VGF cards for vulnerable families in 45 unions and two municipalities before Eid.

However, acting District Food Controller Abdus Salam Mia said, following the food ministry's letter, they allocated 9,98,959 kg of wheat instead of 7,68,430 kg of rice due to shortage of rice in the warehouse.

Deputy Commissioner AFM Alauddin Khan said wheat was distributed instead of rice among the VGF card holders before Eid following the ministry's direction.