Azhar freed country but his battle is yet to be over

Evicted freedom fighter Azhar with wife and children in front of his demolished house. PHOTO: STAR

He has now become a victim of fresh cruelty.

Though the successive government could not give him any permanent shelter, the district administration recently evicted him from his house in Gymnasium area. The hapless freedom fighter with five others of his family are now living under the open sky in Patuakhali town.

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Azahar took part in the 1971 liberation war in Sontospur area under Mehendigonj upazila under Sector No. 9 led by Shahjahan Omar, currently State Minister for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Azahar came back home after the war only to start a battle against poverty. He came to Patuakhali town to find work 25 years ago as he lost his homstead due to erosion by the Lata river.

At first he opened a bycycle repairing shop in new market area and rented a small house, built on the government land, for Tk 200 a month. He passed his 15 years in the house before being evicted by the district administration.

Later on he made a shed in Gymnasium area. He was again evicted from the place in 2001. He built another shed in D-type area and the district administration again evicted him from the place about three weeks ago.

Two sons of Azahar-- Titu, 15, and Mamun, 12,-- are working at a motor workshop in the town for a morsel of food. Shakib is reading in class three and his only daughter Marium is just one and a half years old.

The government is paying Tk 500 to Azhar as monthly honorium as freedom fighter. Azhar and his family was living hand to mouth with his little earning. Following eviction, he has now lost the shop, the main source of income.

"I submitted a prayer to Deputy Commissioner (DC) on December 15, 2005 for a piece of khas land to build a permanent shelter for my family but in vain" a disappointed Azhar told this correspondent.