The illusion of food security
Photo: Zaid Amir Islam / Driknews
The other day I was reading an article published in the Editorial section of your daily that focused on the issue of Bangladesh's food security. I was quite amused at the writer's conclusion that Bangladesh was quite secure without considering a lot of factors, such as the per capita income, disposable income, variety of food available at the same income, quality of food, etc. To actually come down to a rational conclusion, one would need to factor in everything that relates to food and the means of getting them, either by purchase or by growing them. The writer, although pointing out some insights, compared Bangladesh with her nearby neighbours through some incongruent factors that cannot be used for comparison. A person living in India might buy rice at lower price than a person living in Bangladesh, but it does not mean that we are more secure than India. The total production and the value for money which an Indian person enjoys does not even compare with high price we pay for substandard food. With due respect, I beg to differ with the writer on that issue.
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