‘Harijan’ community wants social recognition

RANGPUR: The ‘Harijan’ community people, who clear all sorts of dirty substances to keep the civilised society healthy, neat and clean, want their social recognition and dignity as human beings, reports BSS.
Some 600 members of around 70 families of the socially backward Harijan community, including men, women, children and adolescents, have been living on Sadar Hospital premises in the heart of the city here for decades together.
While talking to BSS, Harijan people Poresh, Chhoto Harijan, Suruz Harijan, Jewell, Shujan Basko, Sandeep, Sukhia, Kamola, Bindu and Rakhu narrated their sadness and sorrows as the present society does not treat them as human being.
“We clean all dirt to keep the city and its dwellers clean and free from diseases--- but we are not allowed to even enter into the hotels and restaurants to have foods or a cup of tea,” Shujan Basko regretted. Chhoto Harijan and Suruz Harijan said they do not get healthcare services from the government physicians at the hospitals or elsewhere as the doctors severely hate to touch them even when they are critically ill.
Harijan women Sukhia, Kamola, Bindu and Rakhu said they do not have knowledge about reproductive health, hygiene, sanitation, family planning, safe motherhood or pregnancy as nobody reaches to them with these messages.
“We do not know what women empowerment is and achieving self- reliance through income generating activities even now when women of major communities are progressing fast and we just look at them but fear to talk with,” Bindu said.
Raza Basfor, President of 'Sohay', a rights-based local organisation of the Harijan community, narrated with uncontrolled emotion and tears in eyes as how they hardly survive on the earth due to negative attitude of the 'civilised society' toward them.

Harijan community wants social recognition

RANGPUR: The Harijan community people, who clear all sorts of dirty substances to keep the civilised society healthy, neat and clean, want their social recognition and dignity as human beings, reports BSS. Some 600 members of around 70 families of the socially backward Harijan community, including men, women, children and adolescents, have been living on Sadar Hospital premises in the heart of the city here for decades together. While talking to BSS, Harijan people Poresh, Chhoto Harijan, Suruz Harijan, Jewell, Shujan Basko, Sandeep, Sukhia, Kamola, Bindu and Rakhu narrated their sadness and sorrows as the present society does not treat them as human being. We clean all dirt to keep the city and its dwellers clean and free from diseases--- but we are not allowed to even enter into the hotels and restaurants to have foods or a cup of tea, Shujan Basko regretted. Chhoto Harijan and Suruz Harijan said they do not get healthcare services from the government physicians at the hospitals or elsewhere as the doctors severely hate to touch them even when they are critically ill. Harijan women Sukhia, Kamola, Bindu and Rakhu said they do not have knowledge about reproductive health, hygiene, sanitation, family planning, safe motherhood or pregnancy as nobody reaches to them with these messages. We do not know what women empowerment is and achieving self- reliance through income generating activities even now when women of major communities are progressing fast and we just look at them but fear to talk with, Bindu said. Raza Basfor, President of Sohay, a rights-based local organisation of the Harijan community, narrated with uncontrolled emotion and tears in eyes as how they hardly survive on the earth due to negative attitude of the civilised society toward them.