<i>Once valiant FF now struggling to survive</i>

22 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Azibor Rahman, Jhenidah

Septuagenarian freedom fighter Abdul Sheikh selling groundnut at Kotchandpur in Jhenidah.Photo: STAR

Septuagenarian freedom fighter Abdul Sheikh is now struggling to survive by selling groundnut. Physical movement is hard for him as senility and disease have overtaken the freedom fighter now living in a dilapidated hut on the land of Alim Raham of Dhopabila village under Kotchandpur upazila. A young man during the liberation war, Abdul Sheikh of Dhopabila village decided to fight for the country's independence and took training at Majdia camp in India. He fought against the Pakistan occupation forces at different places including Subdia in Kotchandpur upazila under Jhenidah district. While telling the stories of the turbulent days during the Liberation War, Abdul Sheikh became absent-minded, as if he got lost in the past. Selfless service and sacrifice of the heroic sons of the soil like Abdul Sheikh brought the nation victory but many freedom fighters remained ignored. After the independence, Abdul Sheikh joined Village Defence Party (VDP) where he served 27/28 years for a little salary. Abdul Sheikh, who now gets Tk 900 monthly allowance as a freedom fighter, sells groundnut at Bangkira Bazar in Sadar upazila. On an average, he sells two kgs of groundnut a day and maintains his family with the scanty income. “Often I have to starve. My two sons do not support me. I am suffering from various diseases. Blood comes out with coughs. I cannot afford to visit doctors. Carrying the basket of ground nut to market seems tough to me,” said Abdul Sheikh.