Bangladesh famine of 1974
| Bangladesh famine of 1974 চুয়াত্তরের দুর্ভিক্ষ Cuāttōrēr Durbhikṣô | |
|---|---|
Red Cross aid in Bangladesh; after floods, August 29, 1974 | |
| Country | Bangladesh |
| Location | Rangpur district, Bangladesh |
| Period | March–December 1974 |
| Total deaths | 1.5 million (independent estimate) (government estimate - 27,000) |
| Relief | Soup kitchens |
| Effect on demographics | Population of Bangladesh declined |
| Preceded by | Bengal famine of 1943 |
The Bangladesh famine of 1974 (Bengali: চুয়াত্তরের দুর্ভিক্ষ, romanized: Cuāttōrēr Durbhikṣô) began in March 1974 and ended in about December of the same year. The famine is considered one of the worst in the 20th century; it was caused by government mismanagement, food grain smuggling to neighboring countries and flooding along the Brahmaputra River among other issues, resulting in high mortality. The government of Bangladesh estimated the number of deaths at 27,000 while according to experts, 1.5 million people must have died in total because of the famine.