The main opposition Awami League yesterday called on the government to declare the northwestern region a disaster area because of monga or a near-famine situation and open gruel kitchens for the starving people.

"At least 51 people have died from starvation in northwestern districts, but the government has turned a blind eye to the suffering of the starving people,” said AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil at a press conference at the party’s Dhanmondi office.

He also called for distributing adequateVGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) cards among the poor people.

Jalil claimed that monga did not break out during the tenure of the previous AL government as it had taken necessary steps to tackle such situation. Tbrming the BNP-Jamaat alliance a fundamentalist force, the AL general secretary alleged that the nongovernment organisations could not carry out relief activities in the Monga-hit region because of threats by the fundamentalist elements.

Party leaders who visited the northwestern districts, including Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha, from November 4 to 7 and distributed relief among the destitute were present at the press conference.

AL leaders Mukul Bose, Asaduzzaman Noor, Nazma Rahman, AHN Ashiqur Rahman, Mostafa Rashidi Suza, Fade Rabbi, Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu, Mustafizur Rahman, Siddique Hossain, Subid Ali Bhuiyan, Lutfor Rahman, Dr Hamida Banu Shova and Bcnzir Ahmed visited the area.