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Feature 2

Lalmonirhat

Physically Challenged Lovlu Earns for Sick Mother

After 41 years of independence, Firoza Bewa, a mother of martyr freedom fighter, is yet to get any government recognition as the mother of a martyr of our liberation war. Her elder son, Abdul Baten Shamim, joined the freedom fighters at the age of 21 during liberation war. On 15 December in 1971 he received bullet injuries in his body in the battle against Pakistani soldiers. He died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on 14th January, 1972, from those gun wounds.
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S Dilip Roy

Lavlu Miah, a physically challenged boy, is a student of class three four is an example for love for mother at the village Khochabari in Lalmonirhat municipality. He has limited mobility, but he is doing his excellent duties to his mother in the village, where his elder brother Nur Islam left them away to live in his father in-law's house at Chaparhat village of Kaliganj upazila in the district. Everyday Lavlu Miah, 10, goes to school Bearn Heardt Kindergarten at Surkimil Colony in Lalmonirhat town. He reads with his attentively and also he has been obeying his duties to his mother in the last six months. After returning from the school, Lavlu Miah goes out for earning in the evening. He earns from cleaning motorcycle and other vehicles in the town. He started for earning in this way in the last nine months as his mother Nur Banu,53, became sick. Physically challenged student Lavlu Miah, his mother Nur Banu and elder sister Lovely Akhter, 16, live in a rent house at Khochabari area in the town. His father Abdul Quader died seven years ago. His another elder sister Lipy Begum, 23, was married four years ago. His elder brother Nur Islam, 33, was married seven years ago and he along with his wife and two sons have been living in his father in-law house for the last two years.

After the death of Lavlu's farther his mother Nur Banu had to maintain the family through earning Tk 100 to 120 per day working as day labourer at construction side in the town. Suddenly Nur Banu became sick and she didn't go out for work in the last nine months. After her sickness, Nur Banu called her elder son but he didn't respond. As the lone earning person became sick, physically challenged Lavlu and his marriage like elder sister Lovely Akhter faced difficulties in their livelihood in the first week. They decided between two sister and brother, they will earn money to maintain the family and their mother's treatment expenditure. Lovely is not working as maid servant in the area and Lavlu earning from cleaning vehicles but continuing his education. Lavlu Miah said,” I contacted to my elder brother Nur Islam for some money to purchase medicines for our sick mother. But he didn't agree to give single pie due to unknown reason even he didn't come to visit our sick mother.” He said, he goes to out from the home everyday evening for earning. He cleans motorcycles and other vehicles at Mogholhat railway gate, Mission Crossing, Railway Bazar, Puran bazaar, BDR gate, Station Road, College Road and Goshala Road in the town. Kindhearted vehicle owner gives him Tk 10 to 15 for cleaning each motorcycle and Tk 50 to 100 for each car vehicle.

“I can clean at least 12 motorcycles and four car vehicles since evening to 10 pm every day. 20 to 25 minutes needed for a motorcycle and 40 to 50 minutes for a car. I able to earn Tk 120 to 150 everyday through this way,” he said. “My earning Tk is helped for purchasing food for all members in the family, medicines for my sick mother and payment house rent Tk 250 per month. My elder sister also earns working as maid servant shares with me for maintain family burden,” Lavlu said. He said that his mother cries when he goes out for earning. But his mother has nothing to do as she is unfit for work. “Many people in the town want to help me but I don't take their help without working. Some kind-hearted people in the town willingly say to clean their motorcycle and pay taka to me for this work. I like it but I dislike begging. By anyhow I will continue my study and I want to establish myself in the society through achieving higher education,” Lavlu added. “I got my own handling rickshaw from the school. I used it only for my education purpose; I never use it during my working purpose. I move in the town by walking during my working period,” he said. Motorcycle owner Touhidul Islam at Mogholhat rail gate in the town said, he always helps to physically challenged Lavlu Miah for cleaning his motorcycle. The disabled boy never agrees to take any help without working.

Another motorcycle owner Uttom Kumar at Mission Crossing in the town said, he willingly tells Lalvlu Miah for cleaning motorcycle and he pays taka to him as the boy doesn't receive any support without working.

Lavlu's mother Nur Banu said, she wanted her disabled son Lavlu only reads and once he will achieve higher education. But her sickness brought a change in her wish. “I pray to Allah to get energetic in my body for working. I will stop my son Lavlu Miah from his work of my body become perfect,” she said. “My elder son leaves me, but disabled son takes my load. He gives food, medicines, and cloths to me. He loves me so much; it is great loves for a mother. I pray Allah always helps to my son Lavlu Miah,” she said. She said her son Lavlu Miah is a by born physical challenge boy. She admitted him in the school as he is highly interested for studying. Lavlu's neighbour Rosna Begum,45, said, Lavlu Miah is a child and disabled but his duty for his mother is rare in the society. Lavlu's loves to his mother is a great example for the each son in the society. Another neighbour Uzir Ali,55, said, villagers become astonish watching physically challenged Lavlu Miah's loves to his mother. His real topics “Loves to mother” building awareness among the local people in the area and local people helping to the disabled Lavlu. “I want to study, I want to reach in my destination but I don't know how I reach in my aim and what will be happened in my life,” Lovlu said adding now he earns only for his sick mother.

The Principal of Bearn heardt Kindergarten Swapna Zaman said, Lavlu Miah is meritorious student in the class. Teachers, students of the school love and help him always. “We gave him a by hands handling rickshaw for his easy movement. He gets disability allowance both from the social welfare office and school managing committee. We also support him all kind of necessaries for his education but we have no capability for food support for him,” she said.