Harijans fight for decent life
Harijan colony at Bandel road in Chittagong.
Harijan 'Child of God', was Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi's name for the untouchables to give them honour for their service to the society. During the British rule, upper class people collected the Harijans from different parts of India for sweeping and cleaning their houses and premises as well as the city. Though the trend began in fourth century Before Christ (BC), sweepers got the recognition as the Harijan in British period. The Harijans have been living in Chittagong for around two hundred years. In the beginning they used to live scattered here. In recent times, they have got four places to live in. Though the Harijans have been providing essential service to the society, their life style and culture are mostly unknown to rest of the society. Living in twenty first century, we still have reservation to touch them. Society is still maintaining the discriminatory attitude to this community. Members of this community are facing the social taboo to participate in national festival. In some locality, they have been facing an unwritten prohibition of entrance into the tea stalls even. Researcher Naiyma Hossain said if any one wants to see the discrimination of classes in the society, it is the right place. They would not get any respectable position in the society in the traditional system, she said. Naiyma said through her research titled “Status of Harijan community in socio-economic and political scenery of Bangladesh” she had found discrimination among the Harijans also. She said like other society, leaders of this community always try to control their members with their power and money. Although sweeping is a traditional profession of Harijan community, they also work in different institutions on temporary basis. Like other institutions, most of them are working under master roll in Chittagong City Corporation (CCC). A city corporation sweeper on condition of anonymity said he has been working in CCC on master roll basis for the last 15 years. He said former mayor had pledged to confirm their service without any step in this regard. He said the city corporation is now appointing sweepers from other communities from different districts who are not involved in this profession. He alleged that a quarter is trying to detach them from this profession saying that they (Harijans) do not belong to Bangalee community, which is a conspiracy to deprive them of their jobs in different public sectors. CCC Chief Executive Officer Mohammed-E-Elahi said they have taken some steps to solve the problem prevailing for the last ten to fifteen years. “During the expansion of geographical area of CCC they were appointed for sweeping under the master roll contract. For various reasons we could not regularise their jobs. Now CCC is thinking of appointing them permanently”, he said. He said there are some access sweepers and we are trying to find a better solution for surplus ones. In addition to problem in their service sector, they have also been facing accommodation crisis. The CCC-built dormitories are at Jhawtala of Momin Road, Bandel Road of Pathorghata , Firingi Bazar Kasaikhana and at East Madarbari in the port city. The rooms in the dormitories are very congested for living. Each family of five to ten has only two rooms for their accommodation, which is very unhealthy to live in. Nirmol Das, a resident of the Bandel Road said they are leading a very low class life as rooms are very congested to live in. Besides, there are acute problems of sewerage system and water supply in their residential areas, he said. “There is no allotment from CCC for dwellers of the dormitories. We are living here without any documents of ownership," he said. CCC Councillor and Chairman of Estate Standing Committee Md Sahidul Islam said they have discussed about their (Harijans) housing problems at the standing committee meeting and its solution would be provided as early as possible. He said it is not possible to give them document of rooms at this moment as the authorities concerned are looking for a better place for them.
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