Government Assistance Changes Lives in Fatikchhari; Mother Emotional After Receiving Wheelchair for Daughter

Staff Correspondent

Nusrat Jahan Eva, 19, has been living with a physical disability since birth. Her mother, Jinnat Ara Jinuk, has faced years of hardship while caring for her daughter. Prolonged periods of lying down had caused sores to develop on different parts of Eva’s hands and legs. Now, after receiving a government-provided wheelchair through local lawmaker Sarwar Alamgir, the mother and daughter have found some relief. Jinuk became emotional as she received the wheelchair for her daughter, with tears in her eyes and a smile of happiness on her face.

On Monday (October 12), Jinuk shared her feelings after receiving the wheelchair for her daughter in Fatikchhari, Chattogram.

“My daughter has had a disability since birth. I have been raising her through many hardships for years. Because she had to remain lying down for so long, sores were developing on different parts of her hands and legs. Receiving this wheelchair has helped us greatly. I am very happy,” she said.

She added, “We received the wheelchair just two months after submitting the application. We are very pleased. We express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the government for this assistance.”

Eva’s father, Mohammad Ibrahim, works as a construction worker in Saudi Arabia. The family lives at Borkat Ali Bari on Raja Road in Ward No. 2 of Fatikchhari Upazila.

The wheelchair was distributed at an event organised by the Upazila Administration and the Upazila Social Services Office at Shaheed Shafiqun Nur Mawla (Bir Protik) Public Auditorium in Fatikchhari. The programme included one-time financial assistance for underprivileged individuals, families from ethnic minority communities and students, wheelchairs for people with disabilities, and financial grants for voluntary organisations.

Sarwar Alamgir, a member of parliament representing the Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari) constituency and a member of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, attended the programme as the chief guest. The event was chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saeed Mohammad Ibrahim, while Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mohammad Rahmat Ullah attended as a special guest.

In his speech, MP Sarwar Alamgir said the BNP government was a government of the people. He said the government was committed to supporting students from different communities, including tea workers and ethnic minority groups. He added that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman consistently emphasised that everyone is Bangladeshi, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Other attendees included Upazila Engineer Junaid Absar Chowdhury, Upazila Agriculture Officer Abu Salek, BNP leader Mobarak Hossain Kanchan and Upazila BNP Member Secretary Zahir Azam Chowdhury. The programme was conducted under the supervision of Upazila Social Services Officer Rajib Acharya.

Rajib Acharya said 75 students from tea-worker families belonging to ethnic minority communities and from schools and colleges received grants of Tk 2,000 each, amounting to Tk 150,000 in total. Five people with disabilities received wheelchairs.

In addition, 14 voluntary organisations received grants totalling Tk 450,000. Another 10 individuals received Tk 5,000 each, amounting to Tk 50,000 in total, under the National Social Welfare Council programme.

The assistance brought visible relief and happiness to the beneficiaries. Jinuk’s emotional response to receiving a wheelchair for her daughter, who has endured years of hardship due to her physical disability, highlighted the importance of humanitarian support. Family members of the other four wheelchair recipients also expressed their thanks and gratitude to the government led by Tarique Rahman.