How PMO intervention has changed a rickshawpuller’s life

Habibur Rahman lost his father in 1969 when he was 22. To become the familys breadwinner he came to Dhaka in search of job.

Habib hailed from Sonakandi village of Sohnati union of Gouripur upazila under Mymensingh district.

At 77 he now has a family of six, including his wife and four daughters. All his daughters are married. His wife lives in the village home.
Habibur is a rickshawpuller by profession and this is his how he earns his living. At this stage of life, he has no other option but to do this tedius job.

The economic condition of the families of her daughters is also very poor so they cannot give any support to their father.

Due to several strokes he suffered , his health is not up to the mark. But the extreme poverty forced him to continue his job. He can talk properly due to his weak physical condition.

Habib and his wife are not getting any kind of social safety net programmes from the government.
This was the very simple life of an ordinary man like Habib.

But, a post on social media changed his life a lot.

Now he will own a newly built house along with a piece of land.

A post on Facebook regarding the plight of Habibur Rahman came to the notice of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO).

The Prime Ministers Office has taken a humanitarian initiative for this elderly homeless rickshaw puller.

Habib will also get an auto-rickshaw (battery-run three-wheeler) to operate in his home village.

Prime Ministers Principal Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah asked the authorities of the Ashrayan Project to build a home for Habibur Rahman at his village home in Gouripur in Mymensingh.

Habib said that he used to sleep in the street as he had no place to live in Dhaka.

He said that he is now in his village home and the PMO has ensured him to build a house for him.

"I requested them to give me an auto for my earnings. They (PMO) also ensured me of giving an auto. My life will change," he said.     —UNB