Moglu gets elderly allowance, finally

At last centenarian Moglu Pramanik got his rightful elderly allowance from the government's social service department as well as financial help from Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF).

Officials handed over an elderly allowance card and cash Tk 21,000 and cloths to Moglu at his Shihipur village under Dikdair union of Sonatola upazila in Bogra in presence of people yesterday afternoon.

Deputy Director of social service department Md Saiful Islam, Sonatola upazila parishad Chairman (acting) Rongona Khan, Upazila Social Service Officer Md Shamiul Islam, and BNF representative Sufia Begum from Baluarhat Krishi O Samajik Unnayan Sangstha were present on the occasion.

"We will bear the costs for the senior citizen's medicines and cloths as long as he lives," said Sufia Begum.

Earlier on May 15, The Daily Star ran a report titled "At 100, Moglu still waits for elderly allowance," depicting the plight of the man, who stays with his poor son Nabab Ali amid hardship.

After getting the card and money, Moglu Pramanik expressed gratitude to the officials concerned and the English daily.

He had been deprived of elderly allowance due to alleged negligence of the local union parishad member.

Locally known as garial bhai, Moglu earlier did the job of a garial (bullock cart driver), and attracted people as singer of the noted rural song "Oki garial bhai, hakao gari tui chilmarir bondore…", especially during his youthful days, said his neighbours.