Author: Mustafa Kamal

Dinajpur district is situated at the north-western part of Bangladesh and the people are equally affected and lives and livelihoods of millions have been disrupted. The vulnerable marginalized youth, informal workers, daily earnings women & youth, person with disabilities, small business holder are mostly affected as this is having a serious economic impact in Dinajpur district like other areas.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Dinajpur  Md. Shoriful Islam inaugurated the Livelihood Support Program at the JSKS Office. Picture taken by: Shakil

The local communities are following the Government rules and basically the people were in completely home due to declaration of Lock Down. The Law enforcing agencies were continued their duties and tried to create awareness among the community. JSKS also creating awareness through publication of Leaflets and we have distributed in our working areas through our Youth Form. Our working area are located at rural area and due to non-industrial area maximum are day laborer, VAN & Auto Driver, Hotel Labor, Bus/Truck labor small business holder were faced lot of problem. The COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in huge economic fall out for millions of people in Dinajpur as well as Bangladesh. Livelihoods of low income and marginalized people have been badly damaged.  Nearly two third of household now face income hardship due to the pandemic. According to the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM), Bangladesh’s poverty rate may have doubled to 40.9% from the rate prior to the onset of the pandemic. Another study by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) shows that Bangladesh’s national poverty rate rose to 35% in

2020 from 24.3% in 2016 due to the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the impact of COVID 19 pandemic has led to an urgent need for financial support to existing and ‘new’ poor specially women facing additional challenges due to the pandemic. 

COVID-19 Impact to Youth:

Many youths are facing economic hardship which is the prime concern to them for now as there are uncertainties over income and many of them already exhausted savings as employers are not paying salaries. They are passing time in domestic chores, helping the family members. For some, this is a totally new experience as they hardly engaged like that before. Their daily activities have changed a lot. Some mentioned they are having difficulties in adjusting with the new routine.

This pandemic has a visible impact on people’s dietary routine. Many started to follow some steps believing that it may help develop immunity to fight the virus. they have started to bargain less for the food of their own choice rather than taking the food that families afford to serve. Financial hardship could also be the reason for being thrifty.

Some are involved in voluntary activities are having a busy time as they are engaged for the humanitarian causes. Their involvement with people through voluntary initiatives has both positive and negative impacts on their personal life as they are working in the frontline, they receive numerous requests for relief but can be of little help because of limited resources. This affects their mental health. Females are also tackling different type of social pressure along with COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 induced leisure time allows more time for interference into people’s personal areas and female’s marital status or involvement in social activities. Besides, another challenge that female-led households are dealing with is that they cannot ask for relief or grant for the fear that society would take it in a negative sense.

We would like to pay our sincere thanks to Manusher Jonno Foundation for the Livelihood Support Initiatives for those who have lost their livelihood opportunities for COVID-19 for the direct beneficiaries of JSKS YOUTH PROJECT. The Upazila administration including all working Union Chairman and civil society also thanks to MJF & FCDO to extend the supporting hand to JSKS for the people of Dinajpur and Chirirbandar Upazila.

JSKS followed the MJF provided guidelines during Beneficiary selection process to distribution there was huge task which successfully completed by the Youth Leaders, JSKS Staffs and UP Officials and finally Upazila administration and we would like to pay our big thanks to stakeholders.

JSKS is ensuring follow up and technical support to the beneficiaries involving with Youth Leaders and duty bearers to make successful of the planned program/project.  

Coronavirus has spread all over the world and due to densely populated country Bangladesh is in more risky situation. However the Government of Bangladesh were announced closedown all the public and private offices since March 26, 2020 which has been continuing till now and may this closedown will remain May 2020. The Army has been started assisting to local administration to ensuring social distancing and implementing other precautionary measures. People have also been advised not go out their home unless they need to collect food, medicines or receive treatment. All of transport has been closed like Bus, Train, Airlines even any communication all over the Bangladesh. 

Like other areas Dinajpur also gone through a huge crisis due to the world wide Corona, COVID 19 Pandemic which has infected almost 2,478,153 people and caused death of 170,324 and recovered 651,503 (information dated 21^st April 2020). And in Bangladesh total infected 2948, death 101 (information date 21^st April 2020).

Dinajpur district is situated at the north-west part of Bangladesh and the people are equally affected and lives and livelihoods of millions have been disrupted. The vulnerable marginalized youth/groups, informal workers, daily earnings women & youth, person with disabilities are all affected as this is having a serious economic impact in our areas. The District Administration also circulated a notice on last 11^th April 2020 and the summery of this notice is Locked Down until next notice.

The local communities are following the Government rules and basically the people are in Locked Down. The Law enforcing agencies are continuing their duties and tried to create awareness among the community. JSKS also creating awareness through publication of 5000 copy Leaflets and we have distributed in our working areas through our Youth Forum.

Our working area are located at rural area and due to non-industrial area maximum are day laborer, VAN & Auto Driver, Hotel Labor, Bus/Truck labor small holder are facing lot of problem and already some people participated in movement for food support in different places in Dinajpur like other areas of Bangladesh.

Many organizations are working in our working Unions but none of organization take part in relief operation and awareness raising activities also. Only JSKS has been taken initiatives for raising awareness and food distribution.

Consideration the situation JSKS printed Leaflets and distributed of Emergency Food Package (1 Package consisting of 7 Kg. Rice, 3 Kg. Potato, 1 Kg. Pulse/Dal, 2 Detergent Soap)  Food support for COVID 19 affected population.

JSKS Organized “Community Dialogue to Prevent Violent Extremism at the selected Union Parishad where District and Upazila Administrations-GoB, Representative of Civil Society, Elites, Community Leader, Religious Leaders, Teachers, Youth, Women Leader etc. were present. The Dialogue Objectives are:

• To roll out the PVE issue to the citizen of the respective union and disseminate the UP’s plan to prevent PVE.
• To generate response from communities in general, and individuals in particular, which is expected to result in commitment from participants to address Violent Extremism in a participatory manner.
• To establish a functional relationship of LGEB/Citizen with Government Service Providers in a common bid to prevent violent extremism.