Famine strikes at Shunaqulir Char: Mother and Daughter go on hungry for days

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Famine strikes at Shunaqulir Char: Mother and Daughter go on hungry for days

Translated from Daily Jankantha dated 2nd Nov, 2005: (reports Akhil Puddar/

Thahamin Haque Bobi)

 

 

Picture (courtesy Daily Janakantha): Top: A woman showing the condition her

hunger stricken grand child. Bottom: A person namely Matiar died while standing

in line for Aid.

 

…“Baman thaner aat hath kapor paiya shedak duibagh kari pindi berouchu. Mur

beditar Akao dasha. Hamak kay dhekhey. Athu relief aichey hamak daiyna” …

 

 

[..I am wearing one part of the eight-hand long ‘thane’ cloth. My daughter is

also having the same condition. No body cares about us. They got much relief

goods, none given to us (me)….]

 

Sitting on the doorstep of her hut, two and half days hunger stricken Srimati

uttered those words. She was wearing one parts of an old “dhuti” (a traditional

piece of cloth for Hindu male).

 

The other parts of cloth she has given to her daughter to wear. Their age is

difficult to predict due to hunger stricken physique.

 

Years after year, this is how Srimati and her daughter are living in Shunaqulir

Char under Dimla subdistrict of Nilfamari, Bangladesh.

 

 

 

Picture (courtesy: Prothom-alo): The cartoon shows how the fictitious monster

that denotes "Local Administration" gobbled up Monga (famine) Aid. The

corruption that entraps the very fabric of society in Bangladesh creating

perfect breeding ground for fictitious monsters who are thriving snatching foods

from the mouth of weak and poor.

 

 

 

To offer “anjali” for the Diwali puja, Binudini of kumar para has washed her

only sari (traditional cloth for women). Barely covering her body with a

borrowed “chadar” (a piece of winter cloth), she is busy in cattle grazing.

 

She sleeps with the cow at the same cattle shed. We met her at the street of

Kumarpara on the way to Dimlar char.

 

Binudini was busy doing cattle grazing for one meal a day. In response to our

well wishes, she uttered “today is Diwali puja and hence I have washed my only

sari. Now I am wearing the only remaining cloth a “chadar” to graze the cattle.

 

Subtracting four out of five fundamental issues, only “to eat” has become the

main concern for the people in these unfortunate villages.

 

For the people of these segregated lands of Tista tributaries namely Dimlar

char, only demand is “FOOD” to survive.

 

Alike others, freedom fighters of the locality Kazim Uddin, Fajlul Haque and

Zabed Ali are also going hungry for days. Their huts were at the other bank of

Tista namely “Chatunamar char” which has been washed away by Tista.

 

 

 

Picture (courtesy: Bhorerkagoj): The map shows severely affected area of

Northern Bangladesh where "Monga" a local name for famine has taken the toll.

 

 

 

They were trained as freedom fighter in the then training camp at Royganj under

Dinajpur while studied at class nine. Latter they have matriculated in 1972 in

Kaliganj center but did not get any job since then. They were not dismayed by

it. Chatunama used to produce much paddy that time but Tista has gobbled up

everything. Now, only refuge is a shelter at North Shunaqulir char…………………

 

……….None of them got government relief.

 

Srimati’s husband Kashob Chandra called her “kalti” with love. He was a middle

class farmer having house at where now Tista flowing through the end of

Chatunamar Char.

 

They had 7 daughters. Kashob Chandra died 12 years before and there on Tista

gobbled up Srimati’s dwelling. Latter, when Tista returned the land back, she

lost it to the local muscleman.

 

Since then impoverished Srimati could not manage to place of her own. Although

she knows where about of her three daughters, remaining four others are yet to

be found.

 

Srimati is now at the mercy of other at Shunaqulir char shelter. In the middle

of such situation, her second daughter Dinomoni has taken refuge.

 

Neither mother nor the daughter has received relief materials or relief card

from government. Like dried up vegetable, their bodies are hanged from the

bones. They used to beg to live earlier. Now nobody gives food to beggars.

Famine has drained all in the locality.

 

A local Brahmin, Anil Chandra has given gifted a “duti” to Srimati realizing

their inability to buy cloths to veil their body. Mother and daughter have

incised it in two parts to cover themselves.............................[to be

continued]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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