Honufa Begum of Jessore
A few days ago, a leading multinational in Dhaka sponsored a ‘contest’ called Shada Moner Manush. It can’t really be called a contest as such, certainly not the ordinary kind of contest that involves pretty girls or budding singers. What Unilever did this time was search for individuals all across the country - a special kind of individual. They were looking to recognize people who give of themselves selflessly for the greater good of their communities - selflessly and tirelessly, without expectation of reward or publicity, over many years and decades, in remote corners of the country, often in very humble circumstances themselves, purely out of the goodness and charity, call it even the nobility, of their hearts. (Hence the term Shada Moner Manush, although we can always quibble over the mentality that equates Bhalo Mon with Shada Mon!)
Nazim Farhan has more of the background story as to how this event evolved. The upshot is that ten very special people of diverse backgrounds were chosen for recognition. Each one of their stories is remarkable, and simultaneously humbles and inspires the reader.
The Street Sweeper: Honufa Begum of Jessore
A tiny cottage stands on the shores of the Betraboti river, in the village of Baag-achra in the district of Jessore. Inside this cottage, there live a number of destitute children. Some of them were born out of wedlock and abandoned by their parents, others were orphaned at a young age. Honufa Begum raises these children in her tiny cottage. She herself has 8 children of her own, and having lost her husband 20 years ago, she is forced to work herself to stave off hunger and want. She earns about 20-25 takas every day, fetching water for a local restaurant and sweeping the village streets. It was while she was sweeping the streets one day many years ago that she found two babies abandoned on the side of the road, one aged 10 months, the other 18 months. She picked them up and took them home. She asked her next-door neighbours not to throw away the bhaat’er maarh and she asked for the leftover food from the restaurant so that she would be able to feed the kids.
That’s where it all started. 20 years later, she’s still running her shelter. Not just children, she’s also taken in the physically and mentally disabled. She feeds them, gives them shelter and looks after their welfare as best as she can, all in spite of her own dire poverty.
The Freedom-Fighter: Beenapani Shorkar of Joypurhat
Beenapani Shorkar, 90, lives in Masterpara in the northern town of Joypurhat. Her family originally lived in Polashi in West Bengal, where Sirajuddowlah fought and lost. Her father was a successful businessman who fell out with the local British rulers and quit Polashi for Shodpur. Beenapani’s brothers were committed leftists who fought in the struggle to kick out the colonial power. Inspired by her brothers, she too participated in the independence movement, and played a role in educating and raising awareness among local women.
At the age of 22, she got married to Kumud Bihari, a Congress activist from Joypurhat. Although they shared different political beliefs, this did not overshadow their marriage. Beenapani has been working for the community ever since she moved to Joypurhat 68 years ago. In particular, she has educated several generations of poor kids in her own home, the majority of them children of the indigenous Santal and Buna tribes who live nearby. For those kids who can’t afford it, she buys textbooks and pays exam registration fees, even though her family is no longer affluent. Having run the local ladies’ recreation club for many years, she is on friendly terms with many of the town’s richer womenfolk and she has never shrunk away from commandeering their support for her various charitable causes. Ever-friendly, ever-smiling Beenapani Shorkar is a household name in Joypurhat.
The Doi-Seller: Ziaul Huq of Chapai Nawabganj
Ziaul Huq is a humble doi-seller. His doi (yoghurt) is quite popular in his native district of Chapai Nawabganj. A resident of Musribhuja village in Bholahat upazila, he is often seen on his bicycle doing his doi rounds; sometimes he will cycle as far as 40 kms to go to his customers, other times he walks.
20 years ago, he set up a public library in his house in Musribhuja. Including school and college textbooks, his library contains over 8,000 books today. Those local children who are too poor to buy textbooks can read them up and take notes in Ziaul Huq’s library. The library also serves the local people. Chapai is in the far north of Bangladesh, a very remote district, and the village doesn’t even get a regular electricity supply. Curious readers would have virtually no access to the wider world of books were it not for Ziaul Huq’s invaluable library. He also helps to pay for the education of poor students and feeds the hungry whenever he can. And all this from selling his delicious doi.
To be continued…
All photographs courtesy of JaiJaiDin.
February 14th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Thanks Zubaer for putting this up.
Remarkable, extraordinary people - each one of them showing by example what life is all about. Just shows that doing something for the greater good has so little to do with one’s financial situation. Its the will and the heart that counts!!
February 14th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Recognition is an important part of community building. I look around where I now live (America). At least once a year, every town has a civic recognition meeting–to celebrate for instance the courage of a fire fighter, unusual concern a good samaritan, or the life-long dedication of an individual. This helps in creating a sense of a connected caring community. There is a sense that if you did risk your life for another individual or a cause, your life will be remembered and appreciated; your family and children’s loss will be compensated by the knowledge that you did something special that the society appreciated.
Contrast this with the situation back in Bangladesh. How many schools, streets or centers are named after the valiant freedom fighters of ‘71, aside from a few well known ones. More generally, how often do you hear about a city recognizing a hero in a civic reception? A society that does not recognize its heroes hardly deserves them.
I am glad that finally some one thought about recognizing these very deserving people; thanks to Nazim Kamran for his efforts. Their stories are both compelling and sad. Sad from the knowledge that most seem to have done so much for so many years with so little resource at their disposal and with so little help from the more fortunate ones in society.
I am glad that Drishtipat had embarked on the project of recognizing the women of 1971. I hope we can have similar projects to recognize more heroes and heroines.
February 15th, 2007 at 1:44 am
Excellent posting. This is the best ever, that any good hearted simple citizen of Bangladesh ever been rewarded off like this.I watched the episode on TV.
This is just few but if we really look in the heart of 150 million people of Bangladesh we will find a lot of good,honest,dedicated,
compassionate ,comprimising and amiable individuals who are some how running the wheels of the country on their own shoulder just for the cause of humanity.
I hope in the future we should organize more and more recognition ceremony like this to identify them and create a role model followed by their legacy of good work. In Bangladesh we just see the bad all the time and become addicted to the bad more if we see and show more good and good things which are naturally happening in the country than more and more people will turn away from the bad part to the good part of the equations.
Thanks
Kawser Jamal
http://www.changeBangladesh.com
I wish someday we would have people like this in our parliament.
February 15th, 2007 at 3:52 am
Pretty amazing stories. It almost seems like there should be a campaign surrounding each of these people. thanks zubaer for putting this up. They are indeed our heroes.
February 15th, 2007 at 4:59 am
It was really uplifting to read about these people and their good hearts. Gives me hope for us all. Good post, Zubaer.
February 15th, 2007 at 5:05 am
These are the kind of people who should be re-instated into the national curriculum, the history textbooks and taught to schoolchildren. Inspiring.
February 15th, 2007 at 7:48 am
I agree with Sid. We are forever talking about lack of role models, looking towards the west for inspirations…when they were right here…right under our nose. Text book would be a great place to start.
February 15th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
I hope they’ll recognize ten more next year, and the year after and so on…
February 15th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I guess young people may opt for a corrupt life because a) they are certain that corruption and selfishness pays more, while b) being honest and giving pays less. Most certainly, examples abound in BD where the corrupt and selfish has everything — naam, josh, khyati, while examples of honest do-gooders are not that common.
I think efforts such as these (Shada Moner Manush) can go a long way in bringing our country towards a better path by showing that honesty and good will also goes a long way.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
well…i believe that this is an auspicious piece of event that they are organising….hats off to these shada moner manushes….
i have nominated my mother this year…she really is 1 deserving candidate….lets see what happens….hope 4 the best…
peace
Mustafa