The government will continue to provide food to 3.8 lakh flood-hit families in six haor districts for three more months under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme. The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) has already allocated 34,200 tonnes of rice to Sunamganj, Sylhet, Netrokona, Kishoreganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts under this programme.

On October 25, the DDM issued a circular to the deputy commissioners of the six haor districts for distribution of rice among the flood-affected marginal farmers and fishermen. According to the circular, each family will get 30kg of rice per month under the VGF programme from November 2017 to January 2018. It also asked the six DCs to collect the rice by January 31, 2018, for distribution.  The circular, signed by Giasuddin Ahmed, director (VGD) of the DDM, said that a total of 15,120 tonnes of rice has been allocated to Sunamganj for 168,000 families, 4,950 tonnes to Sylhet for 55,000 families, 5,220 tonnes to Netrokona for 58,000 families, 5,850 tonnes to Kishoreganj for 65,000 families, 2,610 tonnes to Habiganj for 29,000 families and 450 tonnes to Moulvibazar for 5,000 families.

The recent flash floods caused by incessant rain had inundated boro paddy in the haor districts, putting marginal farmers in deep trouble. The floods have completely damaged boro crops on some 2.50 lakh hectares of land out of the total 4 lakh hectares in the six districts. Some 6.23 lakh farmers—315,084 in Sunamganj, 127,699 in Kishoreganj, 73,905 in Netrakona, 41,478 in Habiganj, 39,437 in Sylhet and 25,776 in Moulvibazar—have been affected by the flash floods in the six districts. Boro crops were completely damaged on 131,285 hectares out of 166,682 hectares of land in Sunamganj, 49,115 hectares out of 99,300 hectares in Kishoreganj, 28,425 hectares out of 40,620 hectares in Netrakona, 15,953 hectares out of 38,400 hectares in Habiganj, 15,168 hectares out of 34,865 hectares in Sylhet, and 9,914 hectares out of 21,955 hectares in Moulvibazar.