Migrant agricultural workers trapped in Faridpur without employment

We are deeply concerned about the more than 1,200 migrant agricultural workers from about 10 northern districts of the country who are currently trapped in Faridpur due to the lockdown. According to a report published in this daily, every year, especially during the monsoon, workers from North Bengal come to one of the region's largest farm worker marketplaces, where farm owners of surrounding upazilas and districts hire workers to harvest jute and other crops. However, due to the ongoing strict lockdown, at least 500 to 600 workers are being left without jobs everyday. Without any wages, they are being forced to sleep on the streets or take shelter in bus terminals and schools, having little or nothing to eat, with no way of going home.

The DS report also mentioned how, during last year's lockdown, the police, along with some voluntary workers, were seen distributing relief packages to workers stranded in Faridpur town. However, nothing of this sort has happened this year. When questioned, the local UNO said that he was not "aware" of the situation of the migrant agricultural workers, and that he will take urgent steps to ensure that these workers are able to find jobs. While that is certainly positive, one must wonder why it did not occur to anyone in advance that these seasonal workers might require support during the lockdown, given the same situation happened last year and the authorities in charge even distributed relief to the workers.

The government has to immediately make special provisions for food and cash assistance to these workers. Since they have already migrated to Faridpur to earn wages, it would be best if they could get to work under special arrangements—in past lockdowns, rural agricultural labour had been allowed to continue since it is outdoors and usually quite spaced out. If this is possible, temporary shelter must be arranged as well. If not, the authorities should assist these workers to return to their home towns, where they should still receive cash and food assistance, since it is not just them but their families who are depending on the earnings they were meant to get from their seasonal farm work. Migrant agricultural workers are an important part of our economy, and it is their hard labour that ultimately puts food on our tables. This pandemic has had hugely negative impacts on informal, daily wage labourers like these agricultural workers, and there must be a system in place to cushion the blows they are continuously receiving.