Homeless Momena Begum did not get shelter even abandoned house of cluster village in Jhenaigati
Khorshed Alam, Sherpur
In Jhenaigati of Sherpur, even the abandoned house of the cluster village did not become a place for homeless Momena Begum. Widow Momena Begum has been living as a dependent in others’ houses for 40 years. Despite countless applications, Momena Begum did not get a roof over her head.
Momena Begum has no assets at all. Momena Begum (65) is a day laborer. Widow Momena Begum runs her household by working as a day laborer. If she does not work a day, her stove does not light at home. That day she remains half-fed or unfed. There are no words to describe the lack of a roof over her head.
Momena Begum said she has no count of how many houses she stayed in over the last 40 years. The administration’s attention was recently drawn to these miseries of Momena Begum through reports in newspapers.
Later, on July 1 , UNO Ashraful Alam Russel placed Momena Begum in an abandoned house in Gomra cluster village. Locals said that after the cluster village was built in 2012, people received house allotments and left them.
For the last 10 years, 5 houses have remained abandoned. It is known that outsiders were rehabilitated in this cluster village in exchange for money. Again, some people, after getting house allotments, sold them. Some gave them to relatives.
There are allegations that although Momena Begum was placed in that abandoned house, the next day, Zahera Begum, who lived there 10 years ago, and her people drove Momena Begum out of that house.
Even though Zahera Begum’s people drove Momena Begum out of that house defying the instructions of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, no action was taken by the administration. It is noteworthy that Zahera Begum unnecessarily took allotment of the government house in the cluster village and left it abandoned for the last 10 years. Upon hearing the news that Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ashraful Alam Russel placed Momena Begum in that abandoned house, Zahera Begum came to the area from Dhaka and along with her people drove Momena Begum out of the house. This has sparked various reactions among the conscious circles.
There are allegations that centering this incident, a local vested quarter is trying to heat up the situation by siding with Zahera Begum and adding fuel to the fire. When Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ashraful Alam Russel was spoken to on this matter, he said at least an effort was made to provide Momena Begum with a place to live. Even so, he said he would look into the matter further.
