There is no question that when you look around in downtown Dhaka, among the high-rises and the opaque glass palaces of the corporations, past the shining adverts and powerful cars, there is always a fair amount of suffering on display. Into these gaps fall the destitute, the lame, the old, the sightless and the hard-bitten kids who have learnt to survive, at the age of 8, on the harsh streets. And when faced with these Gap People, you can react in so many different ways. You can indulge in warm syrupy feelings of pity, salve your consciences by distributing a few taka here and there, or pretend it isn’t happening by blocking it out and concentrating extra hard on your newspaper.
Alternatively, you can start to do something to make a real change. This is no doubt the most arduous and demanding of all responses, but certainly the most rewarding too. Rezaul Karim is someone who has taken up that challenge with a vengeance, and who is making a difference to the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in the country.
Read more here.