RAJSHAHI, Nov 16: Despite many crises, the children of Harijan palli in the city are attending school.
They grow up in narrow houses in Hetomkha area of the city. Though time has changed, their fate has not altered.
The main problem of the Harijans is accommodation crisis, which has become an obstacle for their education. Though the number of family members has increased, the houses have not increased. All the family members live in a room. Besides, unemployment problem is acute.
In English, they are called "sweeper" and in Bengali "jharudar". They clean garbage in city and village. The government has listed them as Dalits.
They are humiliated in socio-economic, political and cultural sectors. Many people come to hear their sad stories, but they do nothing effective later.
A Harijan community man Chandan Babu said, "We are suffering from accommodation crisis. We do not get enough light or air in our houses. The rooms of the houses remain dark and moist round the year. But our children are interested in study. Many are going to school and studying."
While talking, some guardians of the children said, though there is no environment for education, their children are studying. Many of them passed primary school and are pursuing higher secondary and higher education. Some of them are studying at Rajshahi University (RU).
The main work of the Harijans is cleaning the garbage of the city. Some of them are sweepers in Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC). Their job is not permanent.
In this adversity, children of the locality are going to school. While talking, some students- Khushi, Chaiti, Shourav, Jhinuk, Puja, Poonam, Prakiti and Suborna said they all go to school.
A girl named Tania has passed primary and secondary and is now a student of degree class (pass course) at Shaheed Kamaruzzman Government College. Among her two brothers, one is studying at RU and another working at AB Bank. Their father Rameshwar work like other Harijans.
While talking, another teenager Shantana Rani said she had passed primary and secondary. She is now studying at Kashiyadanga Degree College of the city. Not only Shantana, many children of the community are going to school.
A resident of Hetomkha Harijan Palli and President of Metropolitan Harijan Unity Council Sree Bashanta Lal said, "We have many problems like housing crisis and unemployment. Though our boys and girls are suitable for work, they are not getting any job."
He also said, though their children go to school, they do not get tiffin from there. Despite this, they are going to school regularly.
People of Harijan community solve their problems by 'Harijan Bijoy Boys' Club'. Its President Harilal Babu said over 3,000 people of 300 families live in this locality who are facing accommodation crisis. About 60 to 65 people of the locality work in different organisations.
He also said, "We only hear about government allocation. But, we have never seen that. So, we are deprived of all government help."
He further added, "Harijans do not pay electricity bills in other city corporations of the country, but we pay the bills. We have a primary school but it is not developed. We do not get any allocation for our small temple."
According to sources at the City Corporation office, development work worth Tk 1.20 crore is going to start. Three slums of the metropolis got Tk 20 lakh each, and the Harijan locality got Tk 60 lakh.
Councillor of No. 11 Ward Rabiul Islam Toju said the accommodation problem of the Harijans is acute.
In this connection, RCC Chief Engineer Ashraful Haque said, they got Tk 1.20 crore for the development of the slums and the Haijan locality of the city.
While asked about the flats for the Harijans, he said that the mayor has a plan in this connection.
