Rehabilitate beggars

Terming begging disgraceful, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the social welfare ministry to take steps for the rehabilitation of those living in the streets, buses, trains, railway stations and such other places, and put an end to begging across the country.

"The government will provide housing for those engaged in begging along with providing scope for employment for their livelihood. But, they won't be allowed to engage in begging... we'll have to take steps in this regard," she said.

The prime minister was speaking at a programme marking the National Social Services Day and Social Services Week 2016 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The ministry's Department of Social Services organised the programme with State Minister Advocate Promod Mankin in the chair. Hasina regretted that begging has become a profession for some people. "They (beggars) have leaders, they usually give a portion of their earned money to their leaders... these people engage in begging although we rehabilitate them."

"Whenever you see these people, you will take measures at once to rehabilitate them," the prime minister asked the ministry.

She also directed the authorities concerned to find out from which villages these beggars have come and where they live in. "If they do not have any homes to live in, the government will provide them with houses...we will give them loans for rehabilitation, if needed. We will give them food for six months," she said.

Hasina said the government would do all these things so that these people could earn their livelihoods. Earlier, the prime minister provided books in braille to two visually impaired students and prizes among some successful students of Shishu Palli.

Later, she enjoyed a colourful cultural function performed by children of Shishu Palli.