'60m people in Bangladesh don't have sufficient food'

6 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Some 60 million people in Bangladesh still do not have sufficient food to eat, Michael Dunford, WFP deputy country director in Bangladesh, said at a programme yesterday. He also said three million children under five years suffer from acute malnutrition. He was speaking at the event titled 'End Hunger; Walk the World' organised by the World Food Programme (WFP). Some 4,000 people, including around 2000 school-going children, took to the streets in the capital expressing their solidarity with the work of the United Nations' WFP in a fight against global hunger. The walk started from Bangabandhu International Conference Center and ended at the WFP office at the IDB Bhaban in the city. Every citizen has the right to get his basic need of food and it is the responsibility of the government along with organisations like the United Nations and others to help people to realise this right, said Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury at the programme. The annual event was its eighth year mobilising hundreds of thousands of people in over 70 countries to raise awareness and funds for WFP's school meals programme Lauding the initiative, noted singer Samina Chowdhury said there is no greater cause than fighting the hunger and being a part of it gives a real honour. The walk showcased different faces of hunger across the globe. WFP currently supports 1.1 million children through its School Feeding Programme in Bangladesh. The children receive a packet of nutrient rich biscuits each morning, which acts as an incentive for them to attend classes and assures they have the energy to pay attention and learn. It only costs $17.50 to feed a child for an entire year.