BSS, Rangpur :
Successful eradication of the seasonal ‘monga’ permanently from Rangpur region is being considered as one of the biggest successes achieved by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to social experts, officials and public representatives, the poor have been passing the seasonal lean periods of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months without experiencing any bite of ‘monga’ and leading normal life during the past eight consecutive years.
Earlier, ‘monga’, a joblessness situation, was being created during lean periods of Aswin and Kartik months put the poor into miseries.
“Monga has been eradicated permanently through massive social safety net programmes, employment generation, self-employment, income generations and other activities,” said Director (Development) of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha.
Talking to BSS, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for Rangpur Faridul Haque said that life standard of the poor marked improvement significantly in recent years because of their engagements with various income generating activities.
“The decades-old curse of ‘monga’ has disappeared permanently due to improvement of economic condition of the poor and there is no evidence of any starvation following various effective steps taken by the government,” he said.
Rangpur Sadar upazila Chairman Nasima Zaman Boby said thousands of poor achieved self-reliance through small-scale enterprises, trade, cottage industries, sewing garments, homestead farming, pisciculture, rearing poultry birds, animals and other ventures.
“The easy-term and interest-free loans, allowances, training for unemployed youths and women for income generations, assistance of government and development partners also played important roles in eradicating ‘monga’,” she added.
Noted rice scientist and former Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid said expanded cultivation and early harvest of short duration Aman rice also played key role in ‘monga’ eradication.
“Thousands of farm-and day-labourers get adequate jobs in crop fields following large-scale farming of short duration Aman rice as its harvest continues throughout the peak monga hours of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months creating jobs for them,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hassan Ahmed said the government was implementing massive social safety- net programmes, employment generation, selling of rice at fair price, VGF, VGD, TR and FFW to permanently eradicate the seasonal curse.
“As a result of successful implementation of these programmes with complete transparency, the poor did not experience any ‘monga’ following significant improvement of their socioeconomic condition during the past eight years,” he added.
Chilmari upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said that the poor started to enjoy the fruit of independence as none of them including those living in poverty- prone char areas had to stave for a single day during the past eight years.
“I feel happy when I see children of the poor families are now going to the schools and getting health services following a huge change in their socioeconomic condition through they lived under abject poverty even a decade ago,” he added.
Successful eradication of the seasonal ‘monga’ permanently from Rangpur region is being considered as one of the biggest successes achieved by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to social experts, officials and public representatives, the poor have been passing the seasonal lean periods of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months without experiencing any bite of ‘monga’ and leading normal life during the past eight consecutive years.
Earlier, ‘monga’, a joblessness situation, was being created during lean periods of Aswin and Kartik months put the poor into miseries.
“Monga has been eradicated permanently through massive social safety net programmes, employment generation, self-employment, income generations and other activities,” said Director (Development) of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha.
Talking to BSS, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for Rangpur Faridul Haque said that life standard of the poor marked improvement significantly in recent years because of their engagements with various income generating activities.
“The decades-old curse of ‘monga’ has disappeared permanently due to improvement of economic condition of the poor and there is no evidence of any starvation following various effective steps taken by the government,” he said.
Rangpur Sadar upazila Chairman Nasima Zaman Boby said thousands of poor achieved self-reliance through small-scale enterprises, trade, cottage industries, sewing garments, homestead farming, pisciculture, rearing poultry birds, animals and other ventures.
“The easy-term and interest-free loans, allowances, training for unemployed youths and women for income generations, assistance of government and development partners also played important roles in eradicating ‘monga’,” she added.
Noted rice scientist and former Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid said expanded cultivation and early harvest of short duration Aman rice also played key role in ‘monga’ eradication.
“Thousands of farm-and day-labourers get adequate jobs in crop fields following large-scale farming of short duration Aman rice as its harvest continues throughout the peak monga hours of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months creating jobs for them,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hassan Ahmed said the government was implementing massive social safety- net programmes, employment generation, selling of rice at fair price, VGF, VGD, TR and FFW to permanently eradicate the seasonal curse.
“As a result of successful implementation of these programmes with complete transparency, the poor did not experience any ‘monga’ following significant improvement of their socioeconomic condition during the past eight years,” he added.
Chilmari upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said that the poor started to enjoy the fruit of independence as none of them including those living in poverty- prone char areas had to stave for a single day during the past eight years.
“I feel happy when I see children of the poor families are now going to the schools and getting health services following a huge change in their socioeconomic condition through they lived under abject poverty even a decade ago,” he added.
