26,000 families without relief for 4 months

About 26,220 ration card holders in eight upazilas who depend on government relief are starving as the ministry is yet to issue the distribution order (DO), sources said.

Villagers at Bhuiyachhari, Panchhari, Dighinala, Merung, Rashiknagar, Latiban, Zianagar, Matiranga and Maischhari told this correspondent they received foodgrains as relief in June. Their misery multiplied in Ramadan, they said.

The government used to provide them 55 kilogram of rice and 29 kilogram of wheat every month which was 'too meagre to meet their family requirement'.

A meeting was held in Ramgarh to resume the operation on October 3 but there is no sign of giving relief yet.

Khagrachhari Deputy Commi-ssioner assured the villagers of his action in this regard.

Earlier, the government assembled 26, 220 families at 78 cluster villages in 8 upazilas in name of security in 1988.