Taking care of street children

It is sad that the state does not feel any seriousness to uplift the thousands of children who live a woefully neglected life in the streets without any care from the society. They do not get the affection of parents and the necessities that children need to grow up as full human beings. The street children do not get any education and before they come to realise they enter into a society of crimes as they are often used in unsocial activities by underground gangs.
Bangladesh calls itself a welfare state but it is really a pity that the state does not do anything for their welfare. During the autocratic regime of General Ershad, a programme was taken up to improve their condition with an aim to bring them back to normal life terming these ill-fated children as “Pathakoli” ( flower buds of streets). But this very good and humane programme was not sustained by the successive governments; and if they did, then surely this social problem would surely be rooted out by now.
Each year the government takes up many developmental programmes but it is surprising that it never thinks that raising the standard of life of these children can itself be termed as a development programme. In fact, all other development programmes would stare us in the face if street children continue to live a neglected life without any prospect of their becoming responsible citizens. Considering their plights, when speakers including members of parliament and other professionals --- at a seminar called “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Street Children and Our Responsibility” --- urged the government to formulate a policy to address this problem, they pointed out what is absolutely necessary.
All-out support must be extended to these hapless children by the state singly or jointly with NGOs. But any policy to improve their conditions must start by enumerating the accurate figure of these children in the country. No doubt, Dhaka is the home to most of these children of our society. Then programmes must be taken for their lodging, nourishment and education, various vocational education to be precise. For this a fund can be created like the “Pathakali Trust” of the eighties where the well-off citizens can also generously offer donations.
A few days ago the finance minister AMA Muhith announced the budget of the coming fiscal year. It is expected before it is passed finally on June 29, the finance minister would come forward with a programme to lift street children from their vicious existence like the programme for the handicapped people.           

Taking care of street children

It is sad that the state does not feel any seriousness to uplift the thousands of children who live a woefully neglected life in the streets without any care from the society. They do not get the affection of parents and the necessities that children need to grow up as full human beings. The street children do not get any education and before they come to realise they enter into a society of crimes as they are often used in unsocial activities by underground gangs. Bangladesh calls itself a welfare state but it is really a pity that the state does not do anything for their welfare. During the autocratic regime of General Ershad, a programme was taken up to improve their condition with an aim to bring them back to normal life terming these ill-fated children as Pathakoli ( flower buds of streets). But this very good and humane programme was not sustained by the successive governments; and if they did, then surely this social problem would surely be rooted out by now. Each year the government takes up many developmental programmes but it is surprising that it never thinks that raising the standard of life of these children can itself be termed as a development programme. In fact, all other development programmes would stare us in the face if street children continue to live a neglected life without any prospect of their becoming responsible citizens. Considering their plights, when speakers including members of parliament and other professionals --- at a seminar called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Street Children and Our Responsibility --- urged the government to formulate a policy to address this problem, they pointed out what is absolutely necessary. All-out support must be extended to these hapless children by the state singly or jointly with NGOs. But any policy to improve their conditions must start by enumerating the accurate figure of these children in the country. No doubt, Dhaka is the home to most of these children of our society. Then programmes must be taken for their lodging, nourishment and education, various vocational education to be precise. For this a fund can be created like the Pathakali Trust of the eighties where the well-off citizens can also generously offer donations. A few days ago the finance minister AMA Muhith announced the budget of the coming fiscal year. It is expected before it is passed finally on June 29, the finance minister would come forward with a programme to lift street children from their vicious existence like the programme for the handicapped people.