Rice for the poor

THE two successive floods and the cyclonic storm Sidr, have led to a situation of drastic reduction of purchasing power among large sections of people. Even the poor people who have not been hit by the natural calamities, are hardly able to buy rice at their current very high prices. But rice is basic to survival of these people and if its price continues to escalate, then many of them would be simply unable to buy and consume food. Thus, cases of starvation and deaths cannot be dismissed off. To prevent this from happening, government will have to take quick steps to issue foodgrains from its stocks at much subsidised prices to the vulnerable ones. But it should also waste no time in quickly building up the stocks to adequate levels through finalising deals for the import of rice.
The process of the sale of such subsidised rice and wheat must be a corruption free one . It would be also necessary to provide for a period foodgrains free of charge to a large number of very distressed people in this especially difficult year. This distribution also will have to be absolutely free from irregularities and corruption. Food aid from donors should be requested with a voice of urgency and arrangements made to build up a neatly flowing aid pipeline of foodgrains.
Kazim Reza
Twin Tower
Shantinagar
Dhaka