A man who was once leading an subhuman life with his family members for want of money is now leading a dignified life in Jhenaidah district town. A little initiative of Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Rafiqul Isam had made the dramatic change.
The couple -- Saiful Islam and Manwara Khatun of Adarshapara area in the municipal town -- is the name of self-help and self-employment to the town dwellers as they have been ensuring organic vegetables and local fruits every day for their customers.
While talking to Saiful Islam, a retailer of vegetables and local fruits, at his roadside shop near the District Horticulture Centre in Jhenaidah town, he said losing the capital in a wholesale business a few years back, he was disappointed with his three-member family. The matter was brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Rafiqul Islam. He donated a sum of Tk 15,000 and a rickshaw van to Saiful so that he could sell organic vegetables and local fruits among the customers at a reasonable price. As Saiful was a courageous youngman, he along with his wife Manwara Khatun started selling vegetables and fruits in front of the office of the deputy director of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah town.
When this correspondent visited the shop of Saiful, his wife was helping him to grade the fruits. The vendor said the DAE deputy director had sanctioned a spot for three vendors on the roadside of his office and issued permission for the business. All his vegetables like basil, spinach, amaranth, pumpkin, cucumber, chili, onion, garlic, sazina etc. and fruits like mango, watermelon, guava, lemon, bangi and some other seasonal ones are sold within a few hours in the morning as people know that Saiful is selling pest and chemical-free food items among the customers. “Always I prefer to sell the local products so that the people could be once again habituated in consuming the country-made produce as against the imported ones for better health and safety,” Saiful Islam said. The vendor said he was even not in a position to send his lone son to school for want of tuition fee and adequate bread on a regular basis. It was a pain for the couple. But the boy is now studying in class-IX at Jhenaidah Collectorate School and College. Further they are very happy with their business that was blessed by Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner SM Rafiqul Isam.
Nazmul Hossain, a pharmaceutical company medical promotion officer (MPO) serving in Jhenaidah, said he always chooses the shop of Saiful as he believes the vendor provides hygienic and safe vegetables and fruits at a reasonable price among the customers like him. Another vendor Afangir Hossain of the area also expressed same opinion about changing his lot through Jhenaidah DC SM Rafiqul Islam.
When contacted, SM Rafiqul Islam, DC in Jhenaidah, said he just expended his hands towards humanity so that the helpless young man could lead normal life and resume the studies for his future generation son when he was caught in financial troubles. Each and every people with confidence, honesty and sincerity could show their courage to stand on own in the society without major investment or capital, he had proved it. Further, the district administration was always standing by the people to respond in humanitarian call at any moment, SM Rafiqul Islam said.
