Jamalpur’s Shampa pulled rickshaw-van to provide for family. PM Hasina comes to her rescue

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken the family of Shampa Khatun, a child in Jamalpur who was compelled to work as a rickshaw-van puller, under her wing.

Shampa, a fourth-grader has been working as a van-puller after her father met with an accident and became unable to walk.

Following the prime minister’s directives, Jamalpur deputy commissioner went to Shampa’s house and made arrangements to send her father to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The district administration also started work to construct a concrete house for Shampa’s family in line with the prime minister’s directives.

“The Prime Minister’s Office gave us the directives following a report published by bdnews24.com. We’re making arrangements accordingly,” Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Enamul Haque.

Ten-year-old Shampa studies in Nakati Government Primary School. She is the youngest of two siblings in her family, with her elder sister being married off a few years ago.

Shafiqul used to pull a rickshaw-van earlier but broke one of his legs in an accident five years ago.

The family sold off everything they had and spent Tk 700,000 for Shafiqul’s treatment but to no avail. He is now homebound due to his disability.

Shampa began to work as a van-puller a year-and-a-half ago to combat poverty and provide her father's treatment costs.

Her plight was highlighted in the report published by bdnews24.com on Nov 29. The deputy commissioner subsequently paid a visit to Shampa’s home on Nov 30 and submitted a report on the same day. Shafiqul will receive treatment in Dhaka, as per the prime minister’s directive, he had said at the time.

The DC also launched the construction of a house for Shampa’s family. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered that Shampa's education and her family’s needs be taken care of, the DC said.

“I’ll not pull a rickshaw-van anymore but continue with my studies instead,” an elated Shampa said while expressing gratitude to the prime minister.

“I am not worried anymore. Our prime minister has relieved me from all worries,” said Shampa’s mother Nebuja Begum.

The family has been in dire straits for the last six years, to the extent that they haven't been able to provide regular meals for Shampa, even on Eid, Nebuja lamented.

“The honourable prime minister has taken the responsibility of my husband’s treatment, my child’s education and even gave us a new house. I don't have the words to express my gratitude to her."

Pointing to the construction materials for her new house, Nebuja said, “I could never have imagined this (having a new home) in my life. May Allah give a long life to the prime minister and her family. The poor families in the country are surviving because Sheikh Hasina is our prime minister.”