Govt provides food aid to Sundarbans fishermen for first time amid beneficiary list allegations
They also alleged irregularities in the preparation of the list.
The government has begun providing food assistance to fishermen holding Boat Licence Certificates (BLCs) for fishing in the Sundarbans for the first time.
The distribution began around 11am today (7 September) at Gabura Union Parishad in Satkhira's coastal area. However, many BLC-holding fishermen have alleged that they were left out of the assistance.
The fishermen alleged that despite having valid BLCs, they were not receiving the aid, while some people who do not fish in the Sundarbans had been included in the beneficiary list.
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They also alleged irregularities in the preparation of the list.
Addressing the allegations, Gabura Union Parishad Chairman Masudul Alam said the Department of Fisheries prepared the list of 625 beneficiaries for Gabura Union based on a list obtained from the Forest Department.
"Each person has been provided with 80kg of rice as assistance. The union parishad is only delivering the rice to them. We did not prepare this list," he said.
Shyamnagar Upazila Fisheries Officer Touhid Hasan said 2,574 fishermen across the upazila's 10 unions are receiving the food assistance.
"This is the first time the government is providing such assistance for the period of the three-month fishing ban in the Sundarbans," he said.
"Fishermen who have been left out for any reason can apply to our office with their BLC, fisherman card and voter ID card attached. A decision will be taken at a meeting of the upazila committee, and the matter will then be sent to the ministry seeking a fresh allocation," he added.
