Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Twenty-two year old Masood Rana is disabled from birth. Even if he can stand with a stick, he cannot walk more than 2-4 steps. Two legs below the knee are numb. As his father was a day laborer, it was not possible to treat him in a poor family. This is how Masood Rana grew up. But Rana wants to live with dignity and respect, not as a beggar or a burden.
Now my father is no more. Although Masood Rana has a place in the low-income family of his elder brother Abu Bakkar Siddique, he does not want to be a burden on his brother’s shoulders. Although he did not learn to read, he was quite skilled. So he is earning money by selling tea and biscuits and other necessities in a tin tent to get a wooden stool in front of his house. Masood Rana is an exception even though people with disabilities from poor families have chosen begging as their profession. People don’t want to get help.
The self-confident Masud Rana, son of Iman Ali of Charsahapur village in Pakshi Union of Ishwardi, dreams of making a living by running a small business. For two months in the yard of his house on the side of the road, he has been getting shops selling tea, cigarettes, biscuits, chips, chocolates, pickles and all kinds of goods. The children and teenagers of the area are his customers. At the end of the day, whatever is sold is handed over to the brother.
Masud Rana said, despite the lack of family, he never asked for help from people. I have hated begging since childhood. I am satisfied that my elder brother has set up shop. The average daily turnover in the store is 500-600 rupees. Besides, he also gets disability allowance. He hopes the store will be bigger. Masud Rana said that people with disabilities can be self-reliant if they have the morale and self-confidence, not the burden of the society.
The elder brother Abu Bakkar Siddique said that Masud Rana was disabled from birth. He could not go to school because he could not walk. He was still on his knees. A wheelchair has not yet been arranged. However, the district social service officer said that this time he will give a wheel chair. I set up shop in front of the house with a tin canopy. They sit here and trade. If I have money, I will set up shop here so that I can make a living by doing business.
Rashedul Kabir, deputy director of Ishwardi Social Service Office, said the allocation has not come yet. I will arrange for a wheelchair to be given to the disabled Masud Rana.
