The uncared for

Little girl Moyna waits for her domestic help mother on the road divider of Satmatha-Tinmatha road in Bogra town on Saturday.

Moyna Khatun, 5, is daughter of rickshaw puller Abul Kashem and Shefali Khatun, who works in a students' mess. They hail from Bharatkhali village under Phulchhari upazila of Gaibandha and have been living in a rented tin-shed house in Seujgari area of the town for five years.

Moyna is waiting for her mother who will bring food for her and her brother Shakil, 3. Kashem will go to pull a rickshaw after Shefali returns home.

Like Moyna, Shimi, Ratna, Sadekul, Upama, Oishi, Shova and Alam were also seen on the divider. They were wearing shabby clothes and their thin bodies spoke of lack of nutrition due to utter poverty.

The mothers of the kids usually work as house help or in students' messes, while their fathers are mostly day labourers or rickshaw pullers. Many of them have come to the town from other districts.

Upama's father Utpal Kumar, who hails from Sariakandi in Jamuna basin area, said they cannot care for their children properly due to severe poverty.

Erfan Ali, father of Shova Khatun, 6, said he pulls a rickshaw-van in the town from dawn to dusk so that he can maintain his family, but he cannot feed his three children properly, or give them clothes.

Journalist Masudur Rahman Rana said local Shishu Kishore Organisation “Moumaci Khelaghor” and well-to-do locals have been providing clothes, books, educational materials and games equipment to the kids.

Dr Shafiqul Alam of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital said lack of proper food, inadequate care, and living in a dirty environment deprives the children of the opportunity to flourish.

Social Welfare Officer Md Kamrul Islam said the government is ready to provide full support to the children of the distressed and helpless families in the country.

Mayor AKM Mahbubur Rahman said the municipality is trying to build awareness among the parents about caring for their children.