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BANGLADESH is doing well in all areas of development. International organisations including the UN have commended our march towards prosperity. According to them, Bangladesh is the second fastest growing economy in the developing world. Education and women empowerment are the two areas where the country's achievement is remarkable. As a nation we are working ceaselessly to improve the lot of our children as they are important assets for the nation. Children are being taken care of well as they are the future architects of the nation. But it is a matter of great regret that many of our children are not getting enough support from the nation to fulfil their basic needs. The parents of these children are very needy and forced into begging. Children are being kidnapped from various areas of the country and they are being used for begging.
For example, in Dhaka city, we can see children are begging near the Shopping Malls, on the road and pavement. Every day, on my way to office, I cross the foot over-bridge and find many beggars including children are begging on the over-bridge. The same beggars are begging everyday there and their places of begging are also fixed. It is pathetic to see children begging. I think child beggars are fast growing in number. It should be stopped immediately. Beside carrying out other development activities, we have to take care of our children. Every child has the potential to do something great for the country if he or she gets proper education and support.
According to media reports, there are many NGOs who are working for children. They are giving them proper support and fulfilling their basic needs. The government is also trying to eliminate begging by taking various initiatives. Our university students are also providing support for children, discouraging them not to go for begging. But the number of child beggars is not going down, in stead it is on the rise. As such it is a threat to our future development. Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." We should remember the words of Nelson Mandela. If we take care of our children we shall get better results in the future. We must take children out of begging and create a safe and sustainable present and future for our children.
Muhammad Al Amin
Savar, Dhaka
[email protected]