RANGPUR, Jan 5, 2025 (BSS)- The "Rehabilitation and alternative employment for the people engaged in begging” programme was inaugurated in the district today to alleviate poverty and prevent people from detestable occupations like beggary.
 
Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Md Sabet Ali inaugurated the programme by handing over three battery-run van carts to three beggars and a shop to another beggar in a function held at Haribhasha union parishad premises in Sadar upazila.
 
The rehabilitated beggars are Mariyam Begum of Haribhasha area, Muslim Uddin of Dangapara area, Shahinur Begum of Dolopukuri Asrayan and Dulal Hossain of Matiyapara area in Haribhasha union of Sadar upazila in Panchagarh.
 
Panchagarh District Social Service Officer Aniruddha Kumar Roy, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Zakir Hossain and Haribhasha union parishad chairman Syed Noor-e-Alam and local people were present at the function.
 
Earlier, the four beggars used to earn living cost by begging from door to door. They were rehabilitated through the Panchagarh district administration and the Sadar Upazila Department of Social Services.
 
The beggar rehabilitation programme will gradually be introduced in every upazila of Panchagarh district. Taka 55 thousand was allocated for each   beggar for their rehabilitation.
 
The four rehabilitated beggars are now very happy to get the van carts and shop. Now they dream of earning their living cost with dignity.
 
Talking to local reporters, beggar Muslim Uddin said, “It is very difficult to beg from door to door. Now it is much better to get a van. Now we can earn living cost at our own labour to lead a happier life."
 
The Deputy Commissioner said, “We have received an allocation of Taka 55 lakh through the Department of Social Services to rehabilitate beggars in all five upazilas of Panchagarh district where the programme started today.”
 
“The rehabilitated beggars have pledged that they will not go back to begging. The programme will be implemented gradually in every upazila. Whoever wants to leave begging will be rehabilitated in the same way,” he added.