Minister's initiative alleviates three students' woes

Thanks to steps taken by State Minister for Labour and Employment Md Mujibul Haque, three students from financially insolvent families are now free of worries plaguing them just a week ago over paying admission fees and expenses at public medical colleges.

Confirming recent newspaper reports by contacting the students and their families through ministry and college officials and locals authorities, he directed providing each Tk 3 lakh from Bangladesh Labour Welfare Fund.

Talking to The Daily Star at his secretariat office, he said Tk one lakh would be disbursed for each annually. 

Irin Akhter Rina's father is a day labourer in Nilphamari's Syedpur upazila, Abdul Alim's vegetable vendor in Chapainawabganj's sadar upazila and Rasel Mahmud's hawker in Jamalpur's Bakshiganj upazila.

They passed admission exams at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Bogra; Rangpur Medical College and Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, Barisal respectively. 

“Every labourer must know that they are not excluded. The government is with them during any difficulty,” he said referring to the fund which now contains Tk 184 crore.

Persons eligible include those maimed (Tk 3 lakh) and dying in service (Tk 2 lakh), ones injured (Tk 1 lakh) and whose children secured golden A+ (Tk 25,000). 

Funds can be availed by filling up a form from the ministry website and taking recommendations from authorities concerned, said Majibul.

Terming the initiative outstanding, Rasel thinks his monthly educational expenses would be covered.