He also mentioned in his research that the crisis was further aggravated when the US stopped its food aid to Bangladesh as a punishment for starting trade with Cuba.
There is no example of any opposition political party being responsible for famine in a democratic system of governance. When political conflict turns into violence, it can lead to famine. In other words, if civil war occurs, the food supply is disrupted and people may die of hunger.
Michael Fakhri, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, said in his report presented to the UN Human Rights Council on March 9 this year that hunger and famine do not arise because there is not enough food to eat. These resulted from political failures to solve political problems.
So should we assume that the one-sided election that is going to be held will eliminate all possibilities of resolving the current political crisis? And is that why famine is feared as its consequence?
*Kamal Ahmed is a senior journalist
*This column appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir.