Staff Reporter :
At least 1,500 people have been able to eat their three-time meal for free in Bidyanondo’s Otithi Khana, (guest house).
The new initiative by Bidyanondo Foundation, one of the country’s leading volunteer organizations, allows everyone to eat for free at Khan Hotel in Old Dhaka’s Tipu Sultan Road.
The service began on July 18 and since then many poor people of various professions and beggars have come here to eat their daily meals. Mohammad Akber, 25, a cobbler by profession, has been coming here three times a day for the last four days to have free meals.
He used to earn Tk300-400 each day before the pandemic but it is almost halved now. The three-time meal a day costs around Tk100 which is difficult for Akber to manage.
Akbar said: “Somedays I even begged to get money for food. I have been working again for the past two months but could only afford daily meals with that money.
“I was very surprised after coming to this hotel. They are feeding me but not keeping a single penny.”
Khadiza Begum, 16, works as a porter at Sadarghat Launch Terminal. She was informed about the free meals by a friend.
Khadiza said: “Most of the days, we ate cucumbers, carrots, bananas or bread at noon. Many times I had to ask for food from other people. For the first time in my life, I was able to sit in a hotel and eat like a rich person.”
‘They are our guests’
Everyday 50kg of flour’s bread, 50kg of chicken and 4,000 eggs are being cooked to provide three-time meals to these 1,500 people.
Fifteen cooks have been appointed and three volunteers of the foundation are in charge of maintaining safety and security.
Salman Khan, chief of Bidyanondo’s Dhaka branch, shared the information while talking to Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
He said: ” We are feeding the people in such a manner that they feel like they are our guests. It is actually a community hotel. No one should go hungry while crossing this Atithi Khana.” The community hotel is based at the residence of cobblers and sweepers. Volunteers arranged tokens so no one has to wait in line to receive the food like relief. A volunteer, Sultana Jannat, said: “We are measuring everyone’s body temperature and making sure that they wash their hands before sitting at a table. We can serve up to 30 people at a time.”
One of the volunteer’s father is the owner of the Khan Hotel. He provided the support and opportunity to set up this initiative.
Salman said: “In his childhood, our founder Kishor Kumar Das stood hungry in front of hotels but did not have the money to afford the food. From that feeling, he wants people to not go hungry, to be able to sit in a hotel as a guest and eat for free.
“We have planned to build this type of community hotel in other places of the city and even at district level. However, the main purpose is to pass on this idea,” he added.
At least 1,500 people have been able to eat their three-time meal for free in Bidyanondo’s Otithi Khana, (guest house).
The new initiative by Bidyanondo Foundation, one of the country’s leading volunteer organizations, allows everyone to eat for free at Khan Hotel in Old Dhaka’s Tipu Sultan Road.
The service began on July 18 and since then many poor people of various professions and beggars have come here to eat their daily meals. Mohammad Akber, 25, a cobbler by profession, has been coming here three times a day for the last four days to have free meals.
He used to earn Tk300-400 each day before the pandemic but it is almost halved now. The three-time meal a day costs around Tk100 which is difficult for Akber to manage.
Akbar said: “Somedays I even begged to get money for food. I have been working again for the past two months but could only afford daily meals with that money.
“I was very surprised after coming to this hotel. They are feeding me but not keeping a single penny.”
Khadiza Begum, 16, works as a porter at Sadarghat Launch Terminal. She was informed about the free meals by a friend.
Khadiza said: “Most of the days, we ate cucumbers, carrots, bananas or bread at noon. Many times I had to ask for food from other people. For the first time in my life, I was able to sit in a hotel and eat like a rich person.”
‘They are our guests’
Everyday 50kg of flour’s bread, 50kg of chicken and 4,000 eggs are being cooked to provide three-time meals to these 1,500 people.
Fifteen cooks have been appointed and three volunteers of the foundation are in charge of maintaining safety and security.
Salman Khan, chief of Bidyanondo’s Dhaka branch, shared the information while talking to Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
He said: ” We are feeding the people in such a manner that they feel like they are our guests. It is actually a community hotel. No one should go hungry while crossing this Atithi Khana.” The community hotel is based at the residence of cobblers and sweepers. Volunteers arranged tokens so no one has to wait in line to receive the food like relief. A volunteer, Sultana Jannat, said: “We are measuring everyone’s body temperature and making sure that they wash their hands before sitting at a table. We can serve up to 30 people at a time.”
One of the volunteer’s father is the owner of the Khan Hotel. He provided the support and opportunity to set up this initiative.
Salman said: “In his childhood, our founder Kishor Kumar Das stood hungry in front of hotels but did not have the money to afford the food. From that feeling, he wants people to not go hungry, to be able to sit in a hotel as a guest and eat for free.
“We have planned to build this type of community hotel in other places of the city and even at district level. However, the main purpose is to pass on this idea,” he added.
