Right to Food: A Case Study of the Monga Affected Northern Region of Bangladesh

Abstract

Human rights have two dimensions; one is 'civil and political' and the other is 'economic, social and cultural'. The first category of rights are clearly defined, well recognized and strongly protected by national and international instruments. The second category of rights are recognized but not well defined and its implementation process is also not effective. Right to food is one of the most important 'economic, social and cultural' rights. Many people in the current world are struggling with hunger. States are duty-bound by different international documents to provide food right to the minimum attainable level. These documents provide for necessary actions by states for the full realization of food-right. Bangladesh has been regularly facing monga, i.e., a famine like situation where many people remain hungry in some of its northern districts in the Bengali months of Ashwin and Kartic. Monga has immense impact on the life of the people of this part of the country. Among many other reasons, non industrialisation, flood, government’s reluctance and above all lack of job in Aswin-Kartic are viewd as the main causing factors of monga. The curse of monga can be removed permanently by addressing these factors positively. Bangladesh bears both international and national obligation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Constitution of People’s Republic of Bangladesh to implement food right for the people. So, actions in an urgent basis are extremely necessary to be taken Government.