‘Bihari Camp’ residents hit by shutdown take to the streets for food

Hundreds of people from the Murapara camp took position in front of Government Women’s College in Pallabi on Tuesday. They said they will continue the demonstration until the government takes steps.

People of all ages from the camp said they were deprived of government aid. They were seen wearing masks to the protest site while some women veiled their faces. Children held up placards which read ‘Help Murapara Camp residents’.

Selim, 11, from the camp, said: “I came here hoping that someone may give me food.”

Farid, another camp resident, said: “Our Murapara camp is not getting food from anywhere, from anyone. They just note our NID numbers in a slip, but food never comes. Our children are starving.”Rozina Akter, a protester, was angry over her children’s condition and said, “The situation is so dire that it feels like I should kill myself drinking poison. That is why we are sitting here. There is no food at home.”

“The government is not letting the children work. The police are beating us if we go outside. What will we eat then? Give us food.”

Kamal Hossain, another resident from the camp, said: “How many days can we live like this? It’s been a month of struggle. The children keep asking for food. Where will we get it? If the government cannot provide, then why did they shut everything down, why the lockdown? Why should we stay home? How can we live without food?”

Sumaiya Begum claimed: “The prime minister is surely helping out. Why isn’t aid reaching us? We will die from a lack of food, not from the coronavirus.”