Flood-hit haor people frustrated

Suspension of Open Market Sale (OMS) has frustrated the flood-affected haor people in Sunamganj and Moulvibazar.

The suspension from July 1 in the two districts has deprived them of the opportunity to purchase rice or flour at cheaper rates.

Farmer Ali Ahmad of Telipara village in Dharmapasha upazila said, “After waiting for one day, I got rice at Tk 15 per kg in Moidhanagar market. If the sale is stopped, we will face a crisis. I do not have a stock of rice after my Boro paddy was washed away.”

Member secretary of 'Haor Bachao, Sunamganj Bachao Andolon' Bindu Talukdar said it is very sad that OMS has been suspended. If it is stopped, many people in the haor area will have nothing to eat as farmers do not have money to buy rice at higher price, he said. He urged the government to continue OMS for the people of Sunamganj haor.

Akbar Hossain, a dealer in Jamalganj upazila, said the poor families, including farmers, were given the opportunity to buy rice at low price after Boro crops got submerged in the water. If that is stopped, many people will not be able to buy rice from the market at higher price, he added.

District Food Controller (DFO) Md Zakaria Mustafa said 42 dealers were appointed in Sunamganj on April 9 to sell 42 tonnes of OMS rice and flour in the open market after Boro paddy was damaged, adding that a person could buy a maximum of five kg of rice at Tk 15 per kg or five kg of flour at Tk 17 per kg.

A total of 110 dealers were appointed at every union on the prime minister's order on May 9, meeting the demand of the farmers and different organisations, the DFO said. From then, around 22,000 poor families in the district got the opportunity to buy five kg of rice or flour at low price every day, he added.

Zakaria said the programme was launched by the ministry of food and the food department only for April and May. It was extended till June 30 by the ministry, he said, adding that he did not know if the programme will be resumed.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sabirul Islam told this correspondent that they have sent a letter to the higher authorities for continuation of the OMS programme for the affected families.

Tofail Islam, DC of Moulvibazar told this correspondent that the higher authorities suspended the programme in the district.