News Desk :
Shahida Banu was waiting for customers with 13 tiny green papayas and three ash gourds on the footpath at the entrance to Pora Bosti (slum) in Dhaka’s Mirpur-7. Shahara Khatun had a few aubergines – some of them with the rotten parts sliced off- green chilli, half rotten snake gourd and luffa.
Shahida earned Tk 200 until 12pm selling her vegetables. Shahara’s sale was Tk 40.
They had received food aid when the slum had been burnt last year, but the givers are still a no-show this time amid a strict nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
“We and our children are sitting idle. No one is earning a single paisa. I’ve collected some stale vegetables to sell,” said Shahida.
Shahara was worried as her sale was not so good and the family had provision for only two more days.
Shahida Banu waits for customers with vegetables at Pora Bosti slum in Mirpur.
Shahida Banu waits for customers with vegetables at Pora Bosti slum in Mirpur. The landlords of the area had provided them with groceries during the lockdown last year, but the poor families have not had anything coming their way this time.
“What will we eat? Please tell the government to give us food. Otherwise, we won’t survive?” pleaded Shahara.
Some others approached this correspondent from the slum at that time. One of them was angry when he found out that it was not a registration for aid.
“Transports, shops, everything is shut. What will we do? We don’t have fridges to preserve food,” the young man said.
Bangladesh entered the latest round of lockdown on Thursday as infections and deaths from COVID-19 have reached a worrying level with the spread of the more infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus.
The army is enforcing the lockdown with the law-enforcing agencies. Police have arrested hundreds of people for going out without a valid emergency reason.
Shahara Khatun waits for customers with vegetables at Pora Bosti slum in Mirpur.
Shahara Khatun waits for customers with vegetables at Pora Bosti slum in Mirpur.
At Bholaiya Bosti slum in Duaripara, some young men crowded the tea stalls, as the stay-at-home rule is hard for them to follow in their tiny shanties.
The families settled in the slum after losing their homes to river erosion in Bhola.
After the National Housing Authority demolished the slum, the dwellers rebuilt their shanties along the canal in the area.
“The shop is closed. I’m doubtful about getting my perks. I’ve three children to feed,” said a visibly distraught Kabir Hossain, who worked at a clothing shop. His mother works as a house help, but lost her job due to her employers fearing infection.
Another woman, Mir Jahan, also lost her job as a house help. “They (landlords) have banned us from entering the buildings. Now we’re struggling for food.”
Kabir Hossain, Mir Jahan and others crowd Bholaiya Bosti slum in Mirpur.
Kabir Hossain, Mir Jahan and others crowd Bholaiya Bosti slum in Mirpur.
Masuma Akter said she had to send her 15-year-old son to work in a garment factory.
He is one of many dropouts in the slum. They work in small factories producing for local markets because the large ones do not employ underage workers.
Some residents of the slum said officials had taken their details last year for relief, but the aid never arrived.
The government has announced lockdown aid for the poor again, but the slum dwellers have received nothing.
Masuma Akter outside her shanty at Bholaiya Bosti slum in Mirpur.
Masuma Akter outside her shanty at Bholaiya Bosti slum in Mirpur.
The family of Abdul Hye, a construction worker who cannot work now after being injured in a workplace accident months ago, depends on the earnings of his 17-year-old son, who works as the helper of a bus driver.
With the public transportation system shut in the lockdown, they have no income.
Hye was waiting with his 7-year-old daughter at Mirpur-12 for someone to help them amid rains.
“I feel ashamed to seek anything from people. But I’d to do that last year. Some people gave us groceries at that time, but we’ve got nothing this time. I don’t know how we will survive. Won’t the government look at us?”
Courtesy: bdnews24.com
