A seasonal job crisis in the agriculture-based region covering greater Rangpur, Dinajpur and Bogra districts is forcing them to migrate to cities.

Monga is a sort of famine that stalks the northern region during the lean period when there is no work for farmers or agricultural labourers.

"This year a huge number of poor people will come to the capital as devastating floods and downpour have worsened the Monga situation," said economist Dr Atiur Rahman, a senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

Every year during the Bangla month of Kartik when Aush crops are exhausted and Aman paddy awaits to be harvested, a severe joblessness breaks out in the districts including Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha.

The jobless people lose their food purchasing capacity. "As the local economy is not enough to keep the locals in their own areas, they roam around 3and finally migrate to the capital as part of their coping mechanism," the economist said.

There is no official or unofficial data on how many people migrate to Dhaka each year during Monga. But economists said this time the number of migrated people would definitely be higher than the number in yesteryears.

A World Bank report titled "Bangladesh: Development Policy Review" released recently reveals the picture of urban poverty and says the number of the poor among the city population has increased 7.2 percent from 1995-96 to 2000.

Based on statistics from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank report says about 36.6 percent of the people in cities live under the poverty line while it was 29.4 percent five years ago.

Displaced men, women and children are seen waiting on the city pavements, railway stations and launch terminals. Some flock to the district and upazila towns for jobs. Many sell their domestic animals, household goods and other belongings to survive.

People of these areas mainly depend on agriculture as there are few industries. But many of them are compelled to sell their corps at cheaper price before harvest. Many take loans locally known as 'Dadon' from Mahajans (lenders) at 140 to 180 percent interest rate.

"Though most of the poor people normally go back after the Monga period, a good number of these displaced are unlikely to return to their homes this time as they have sold everything and this will increase urban poverty," said Dr Atiur.

"After earning a little the husband may send his family back home but he would stay in the capital and marry again to cope with new situation," he added.

Thousands of destitute people are seen sleeping on the streets, launch and bus terminals and rail stations in the capital. It is hard for them to make a living when a big part of their earning is spent on accommodation.

Most of the newcomers have taken shelter in city slums. Some of them have become rickshawpullers, hawkers and day labourers. Aged people, women and children have started begging.

Some women have taken up work as maids and teenagers who are lucky enough have found jobs in garment factories. Younger children work as porters in kitchen markets and as domestic help.

Kamala Khatun, 35, was seen begging at Karwan Bazar intersection taking her three-year-old daughter Lipi on her lap. She came to the city from a remote village in Rangpur two weeks back with her husband who has managed a rickshaw to make their living.

"If we were in the villages we would have died. There was no food, no work. For a few days we managed with arum (kachu) and its leaves. We moved here just to save our daughter," sobbed Kamala.

The government has distributed 1,70,500 VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) cards among the poor, but it is not sufficient to meet demands. Each cardholder gets 10 kg of rice. The government did not start food-for-work and test relief programmes in the districts. As a result the number of unemployed labourers is increasing.

Dr Atiur said that to combat the situation the government has to provide at least one VGF card to every affected family. "The government has introduced Open Market Sale (OMS) of rice but that does not help as people have no money to buy rice."

To prevent migration from the Monga hit areas to the cities local economies and infrastructures have to be strengthened. "We have to set up industries and increase crops diversification there with the help of NGOs," the economist said.