Rehabilitation of beggars
Speakers at a programme at Gaibandha recently underscored proper implementation of the schemes to make the country beggar free through active participation of all, according to a report in this newspaper on Tuesday. Begging is definitely a social problem in the country. It is a curse; it encourages idleness. Religions do not encourage begging since there is no credit in making a living through taking alms. As begging is an easy source of earning money, the number of beggars is swelling in the country.
Beggars are common sight in the streets of capital Dhaka and other cities and towns of the country. There is hardly any person who has not been accosted by a number of beggars almost every day in the capital. River erosion, landlessness, successive crop-failure, physical disablement, drought and natural calamities render many people into beggars across the country.
Whenever a foreign national lands in the Dhaka city, the first thing that he or she confronts is a beggar. This creates a negative impression in him/her about our country. There are beggars due to physical incapability; there are beggars who are rendered physically handicapped by organised criminals. There are beggars who earn a good amount of money. Sometimes efforts are made to forcibly drive away beggars from towns and cities with little success.
It is worrying to note that many beggars are part of organised criminal gangs. There are beggars who spread contagious diseases. The organised gangs who back begging reap the benefits. The greater number of beggars is afflicted with numerous diseases. They suffer mostly from malnutrition, skin diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, venereal diseases and endemic fever. Ninety percent of them do not have any access to treatment.
The government should undertake an effective programme for the rehabilitation of beggars. People belonging to the affluent section of the society, NGOs, leaders of different professional groups and social workers can come forward to make the programme successful.
The relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Social Welfare Department, should think how beggars can be made productive force. Vocational training centres may be set up for training of the beggars. Training programmes including sewing and making handicraft goods can be effective in this regard. Some times beggars are sent to vagrant homes. This is not the effective solution. The zakats or donations by affluent persons can be diverted to rehabilitation of beggars. What is needed is generation of social awareness to eradicate this menace.
