107-yr-old Taramoni Das' struggles to survive

Taramoni Dash, a 107 year old widow of village Baishsho Para in Mohishkhocha union of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat, is struggling for her daily bread at the age of 107. She has been preparing different kinds of handicraft items with bamboo since she was a teenager. She works hard toil in her hut from morning to nightfall everyday producing baskets, dali, kula (winnowing tray), sieve and others, which brings her Tk 40 to 45 income a day. Some years back, she earned Tk 80 to Tk 100 per day but her present income is not sufficient to cope with the increasing costs of the family. Her income has fallen mainly because of increase in bamboo price. She often has to pass days half fed, if at all. Taramoni Das got married to Tarok Chandra Das, of Baishsho Para village at Mohishkhocha union of Aditmari in 1923 when she was 16. She had used learnt to make things out of bamboo at her parents' house at Kathal Bari village of Kurigram. After marriage, she continued the job to help her husband. She became mother of five daughters and one son. Taramoni lost her husband Tarok Chandra 18 years ago and since then she has been bearing the burden of the family. The family, consisting of her son Moni Das, 90, hia wife Biso Bala Das, 82, and her grandson Bisso Nath Das, 57, with his wife Bul Buli Das, 47, live at the hut at Baishsho Para. 

Taramoni Das said, “I look after the family as my grandson stays abroad for work. My income from bamboo made things is too little to meet the needs of the family.' 'Mostly we can't afford good fish, meat or milk,” she added. Biso Bala Das said, “I've grown old. I can't work hard, but my mother-in-law can. I suffer from different diseases but she doesn't. She can still walk like a young girl. I have never seen idleness in her.” Bulbuli Das, wife of Taramoni Das's grandson, said, 'People come to the house to know about her. Sometimes, school and college going students who come here say that Taramoni Das is example to the women who are struggling to live.” Taramoni Das receives only Tk 200 as old age allowance per month from the government. 'I get only Tk 200 old age allowance every month. I don't get any other relief or allocation from the Union Parishad office. Nor do I approach the chairman or any member for relief. I just prefer working than extending hand for help. I wish to work till the last day of my life.' Taramoni Das said. She built a tin-shade hut with Tk 10,000 she saved from the old age allowance in the last four years, but she could not afford fencing around it. She and all other family members are okay in the dry season, but face problems during rainy days.

“I know many aged persons like go begging and they earn over a hundred takas every day, but I dislike begging. Begging is the curse of life. I work in my hut, I earn little but I am at peace with myself,” she said. “ Local Dhani Chandra Das said that Taramoni, the oldest woman in the locality, could peacefully survive in her last days if the government or the well-off people came to her aid. 

Mili Begum, The Executive Director of Jago Nari Unnayon Sangstha, a Women Based NGO at Aditmari upazila, said that she personally visited Taramoni Das several times. Woman members of her organization always visit Taramoni Das and talk with her about how she is surviving. The Mohishkhocha UP Chairman Mosaddek Hossain Chowdhury said that he is newly elected UP chairman in the union and will use the right opportunity to try and help Taramoni Das.