Sita Nokrak's husband Piren Snal was shot dead on January 3 in police firing while protesting the government's planned eco-park in Modhupur forests. The tribesmen in Modhupur protested it claiming that it would destroy the ecology and displace them.

"If I give VGF card or widow allowance to Sita Nokrak the administration will take action against me", Yakub Ali told this correspondent when asked why she is deprived of the facilities.

But he had no answer when asked why Sita Nokrak should not get the facilities as a distressed women. He kept mum to a question: Did she and her two minor children join any so-called anti-government activity?

This correspondent visited the widow and her family at their house at Joynagacha village in Modhupur upazila on Sunday.

Sita and her two children Utsab and Ratri now survive on doles from the Garo people.

"They sometimes help me, but how long they will do this?", she told this correspondent.

Piren Snal's 60-year-old father Dijen Nokrak was dependent on his son.

Now he is compelled to work in banana garden as a day labourer.

"Eakub Ali chairman struck off my name from the list of elderly allowance", he lamented.

Both Sita and Dijen said they did not get help from the government.

Awami League President Sheik Hasina gave them Tk 50,000. The money is with the Garo Society leaders for meeting the expenses of Piren Snal murder case.

They said the World Vision, Bangladesh gave them two cows.

When contacted, Garo Society leaders alleged that Eakub Ali is a "strong supporter" of the planned eco-park and so he deprived them (Sita and Dijen) of their benefits.

Many helpless people like Sita and Dijen enjoy facilities like VGF card, widow allowance and elderly allowance. The two should also get the facilities, they said.