Human Rights Advocacy
Unsung stories of slum dwellers
Muhammad Rezaur Rahman
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Photo: english.peopledaily.com.cn |
The people of Bangladesh either directly or indirectly depended on lands as means of subsistence. Economy of Bangladesh is mostly depended on agriculture. Despite that, the state mechanism is unable to ensure access to land to people. As a result, major percentage (66 percent approximately) of people in Bangladesh are landless. The landless people, particularly people of rural area that have no means of survival make their move toward the mega city to try their luck and find a means to survive as a last resort. But most of these displaced people find their living in different stringent slums of Dhaka without minimum assurance of human needs. However, being a backward portion of the society they always remain outside the lime light of consideration. The life in a slum is something which can't be comprehended by the perceptible analysis and survey. Therefore based on so called surveys and research the real story of deprivation can never be perceived.
A life in a slum is no less than a life in a cage; there one's life is confined to flawless demerits. There is no access to pure water, electricity, gas, proper sanitation. Their life can easily been mistaken with the life in the jungle. The difference is that even the wild creature do not discriminate between themselves which we the apex being do so frequently; and shamelessly feel proud of doing so. Being deprived of all the necessities of life these people curses faith and have down pat their past, their life is not always like this they were happy in their home and meet up necessities on the blessings of earth. The experience they shared was not just stories or mere hypothesis but bitter reflection of life.
Bapari or beggar: coincide life of Shahbuddin
Shahabuddin used to leave in the village-Chandrakona, Thana-Nakla in the District of Mymensing with his family and three daughters. He was a happy person who lived in his own homestead and cultivated own land on an about 70 centum. But not everyone was able to accept his smooth life and always compelled him to sale his property to them. But he always showed unwillingness due to the price offered by his kinsmen was not worth selling. But subsequently he had to sale his land to his relative in a nominal price. But even after that they did not stop and after the death of his daughter they started to spread rumour that he has become insane by losing his child and evict him out of his house. To make the eviction legal, they furnished forged document. All the social leaders remain silent on Shahabuddin's grievance. Hopeless Shahabuddin sought his last resort to the court but suit was discharged due to lack of documentary evidence and witness. Now for last 20 years he is living in the street and slum of Dhaka on the mercy of other. Some persons addressed him as a parasite of the society but they will perhaps never know that once upon a time he was a respected person who favoured others.
Washed away dream or the victim of greed's
Habibur Rahman live in Magbazar Basti living hand to mouth but his scenario was not always this worse few years ago and he was a happy man. He was staying in his own home in village of Bautori in the District of Narsingdi. But his faith was scattered when his land was submerged by the Monster tide of Shitulaksa. In a space of one day Habibur Rahman became land lord to land less. But even after that he did not lose his hope and try to survive by holding his last resort his ancestors home and started work on other land as share-cropper but there he also face discrimination. For the lack of logistic support the production level in the particular place had been reduced but yet without considering the natural consequence they denied his part of bargain and took over his land. At this point of dilemma he came to Dhaka. But as he had no work experience or expertise he became unemployed.
We asked what happened to the Char lands which alleviated in that area. Whether the government distributes these to landless person to rehabilitate? In reply surprisingly he smiled. He said these are good for books not for reality. In reality political influenced person arbitrarily took possession over them and by the magic wand they make these land their own.
How many kabirs will be deprived of ignorance of law?
Kabir Hossain a day labour living in the Moghbazar slum for 3 years. He went to Dhaka not just to try his luck but to ensure the survival of his family. All of their happiness disappear when they sold all of their property.
His grandfather had a deal with his brother in respect of loan which he took from them and the condition of loan was that they will enjoy the usufruct of land until he returned their money. However, he did not make any document for such deal rather it was an implied mortgage relied on faith rather then content. Consequently when he wanted to get his land back they declined to return it on the vague ground that, as he did not return their money within reasonable time so by default it has become their property. As Kabir's grandfather was an illiterate person he could not claim his right back and silently accepted the consequence. He said that they have no capability to proceed with any suit. So it is a same old story; once upon a time who was a self employed person became helpless under dog and burdening the mega city of slum.
Land litigation indeed a root cause of poverty
Latif Ali's home district is Jamalpur. He works as a temporary swapper of City Corporation. Beside this, he sweeps the Anchor Tower and Hamdard Bhaban, everyday. He lives in the footpath of Dhaka for 25 years. He came to Dhaka 25 years ago. He lives in that footpath from the time when he came to Dhaka. He has one son, who works as bus helper. His son is married and they live separately. The main reason that he went to Dhaka is he got involved in a case for recovery his father homestead which worth a lot, as a result, he had to sale his land to carry out the case and he became landless. Now he is making the road clean but can he clean his faith?
Slum dwellers: Burden to community or reality of failure democracy?
The so called civilised people determine the slum dwellers as illegal holder of government property, burden to the community, source of criminality, an agony to the society. But we have to admit the reality that they are still the responsibility of the government as being citizens of Bangladesh. But instead of humanising their condition government is busy in evicting them.
Everyone should understand that these people do not live in the slum as choice or they like to be there rather the faith has brought them to this dilemma. Most of them used to live with their family in their village but due to several inhuman and natural interventions they lost their means of survival which is unanimously involved land related issues directly, because most of our people depend on land. While interviewing we ask all of them a common question whether they want to go back to their village? The answer is same for all, “who want to live this inhuman life'
So, it is a shame for us that we can not afford anything for their betterment, this is a stigma to whole society that we could not realise their needs, it is a failure of democracy itself that it cannot recognise these human as human being in its true sense.
The writer is a Student of Law, Northern University of Bangladesh.
