The COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving urban crisis. This research paper assesses impacts of the lockdown on food security and associated coping mechanisms in two small cities in Bangladesh (Mongla and Noapara) during March to May 2020. Due to restrictions during the prolonged lockdown, residents (in particular low-income groups) had limited access to livelihood opportunities and experienced significant or complete loss of income. This affected both the quantity and quality of food consumed. Coping strategies reported include curtailing consumption, relying on inexpensive starchy staples, increasing the share of total expenditure allocated to food, taking out loans and accessing relief. The pandemic has exacerbated the precariousness of existing food and nutrition security in these cities, although residents with guaranteed incomes and adequate savings did not suffer significantly during lockdown. While coping strategies and the importance of social capital are similar in small and large cities, food procurement and relationships with local governments show differences.

COVID-19大流行是一场不断发展的城市危机。本研究报告评估了封锁对孟加拉国两个小城市（蒙格拉和诺亚帕拉州）在2020年3月至2020年5月的粮食安全及相关应对机制的影响。由于长期封锁的限制，居民（尤其是低收入群体）获得生计机会的机会有限，并经历了重大或完全的收入损失。这影响了所食用食物的数量和质量。报道的应对策略包括减少消费，依靠廉价的淀粉类主食，增加分配给食品的总支出份额，获得贷款和获得救济。流行病加剧了这些城市现有粮食和营养安全的不稳定状况，尽管具有收入保证和充足储蓄的居民在锁定期间不会遭受重大损失。尽管大小城市的应对策略和社会资本的重要性相似，但食品采购和与地方政府的关系却存在差异。