The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

The poor people in the Monga-prone areas of northern Bangladesh have seldom experienced this seasonal phenomenon this year as the government has implemented various effective steps to improve the overall situation in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts.

Officials told BSS that Monga, an annual crisis putting the farm labourers into a state of joblessness annually, was not felt so serious till the last day of Kartika today because the government has successfully tackled the situation through its steps providing jobs to the poor in the farmlands.

The labourers as well as the distressed people were better off during the Monga seasons this year, probably for the first time in the memorable history, without any bite of the seasonal crisis that has long been the worst experience of all in the region in the months Aswin and Kartika.

With the beginning of T-Aman harvest, day and farm labourers are busy working in farmlands with comparatively higher wages. Government's 100-day employment generation scheme, VGF, VGD and Test Relief (TR) programmes, BRRI Dhan-33 farming and various allowances have been proved to be very effective to say goodbye to Monga this year.

The officials said there was no report of any incident of starvation from any part of the region as the poor people were directly benefited by these programmes of the government in all eight districts of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.