CPB Raises Voice Against Food Crisis

by Razu Ahmed    May 06, 2008

The govt. had been criminally negligent in facing the crisis. It failed to purchase enough rice and wheat at proper time and build up an adequate stock in its own hands. It relied almost totally on the private market mechanism and refused to accept the repeated demands raised by CPB and other forces to urgently introduce a Public Distribution System, including a fair-priced rationing system throughout the country for the destitute, poor and working people of the country. The attempt by the govt. to ‘beg’ of or ‘policing’ over the profit-hungry traders to keep prices at a fair level- both methods failed miserably. Under tremendous pressure, the govt. finally took to state intervention in the market and started operating some fair-price bazaars run by para-military forces and open market sale of food grains in Dhaka and certain other places. But these operations were limited in scale and duration. Very little tangible reflection resulted in the ‘market’ which remain at the mercy of the ‘market force’. As the forces of religious fundamentalism  had plunged the country into darkness, the people now felt the deathly pains of pursuing the policy of market-fundamentalism.

CPB and LDF came out with loud voices demanding urgent measures to meet the crisis. In spite of the restrictions of Emergency Rules, they utilized every opportunity to echo the cry of hungry masses. CPB and LDF have put forward concrete demands and proposals regarding for controlling price spiral and facing the food crisis. CPB organized a human chain in the central avenue of the capital which has however broken up by the police within half an hour. A dawn to dusk token hunger strike and sit down demonstration was organized by CPB. Deputation on behalf of LDF presented a memorandum to the Advisor of the Ministry of Food. Memorandums were submitted by CPB as well as peasant and Khetmojur organization to district and upazilla authorities.                   

Dozens of seminars, round table discussions, symposia and indoor mass meeting were held over the last 6 months by CPB and LDF.

The winter crops are being harvested. The govt. will have to build up a big stock by purchasing food grains directly from the peasants prevent the profiteering middlemen from taking in the crops to increase their hoarded stocks. Their crisis situation will continue till the main summer crop is harvested at the end of this year. Apart from measures to overcome the immediate crisis, the entire agrarian policy and economoc policy of the country will have to be reoriented from market-fundamentalism and dependence on imperialist globalization to a policy of direct state-participation in the market and economy wherever it  is necessary, introduction of a nationwide and permanent public distribution system, ensuring of food security by augmenting national production to acquire food self sufficiency,  reduction of external dependence etc. But for implementing such a policy the country needs a left and democratic alternative with a left-democratic govt. in power.

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