Getting assurance of receiving a new house along with land from the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Durgapur Upazila of Rajshahi disabled Anjuara (45)'s joy knew no bounds.
Daughter of Afir Pramanik of village Pananagar Purbapara under Durgapur upazila, Anjuara lives in a tattered, bamboo stick built and polythene wrapped house on her paternal land.
'It is unbeliveable that I'll have a house of my own', said Anjuara to this reporter by standing in front of her tattered house on Sunday. During this monsoon, rain water enters into her house through the holes of the polythene. The floor of the house remains wet. Still, having no alternative, Anjuara used to live inside this tattered cottage.
Anjuara is a mentally disabled patient from her birth. She applied repeatedly to the local public representative for a government house for her but, failed to get any. But, on Saturday, one of her neighbours posted a picture of Anjuara standing in front of her tattered house which drew attention of the UNO of Durgapur Mohsin Mridha. He promptly enquired about Anjuara, assisted her with some money and assured her to build a house as soon as possible.
Anjuara's neighbour Adam Ali informed, she is mentally retarded from her birth. Her parents being poor, failed to treat her to the doctors. She has not even been married. Her father is now aged and bed ridden. All her brothers are married and live separately. Near her parents’ house, Anjuara lives by building a tattered cottage made of bamboo sticks and polythene. None of the local representatives came forward to assist her to make a livable house and to provide her in any respectable job.
Anjuara said her plight during the rainy season increases manyfold. Water enters into the room by the holes of the polythene. She has no ability to build a house. She further said, she went to the local UP members and Chairman several times and requested them to help her but no one came forward to assist her anyway.
Local UP Member Akbar Ali said, Anjuara gets the disabled allowance from the government. Moreover, she gets all facilities given by the government for a diabled person. Since she lives in her own house, according to the government rule, she cannot get a house made by the government.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Durgapur Mohsin Mridha said he came to learn about the condition of disabled Anjuara through social media on Saturday and prompty took whereabouts of her from local UP member. As a government rule she cannot get a government house but the government will build a tin-shed house on her land as soon as possible.
