Humiliation that takes life of a labourer

Abdul Khalek, 25, a resident of Kekupara area of Bhandaru village in Sadar upazila, reportedly took poison on Tuesday night. He was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where he died yesterday morning. According to local sources, Khalek had taken Tk50,000 loans from two NGOs and bought an engine-run rickshaw a few months ago. He used to pull the rickshaw all day to repay the instalments of the loans. Khalek took another Tk2,000 from a local usurer named Surat Jamal a month ago and committed to repay him with 10% interest every day. But Khalek could not pay Jamal a single penny because of his low income and high needs of his family. After two months of taking the loan, his debt to Surat stood at Tk12,000. Surat kept pressuring Khalek several times to pay his money but Khalek failed to pay even the interest. On Tuesday evening, usurer Surat along with other money lenders asked Khalek to repay their money. As he failed to pay them, they harassed and humiliated Khalek at Tunirhat Bazar in the upazila on his way home. Later, the usurer and money lenders had snatched his engine-run rickshaw and sold it at Tk35,000. After selling the rickshaw the money lenders shared the money among themselves. They also gave Khalek Tk50 and allegedly advised him to buy poison with it. At night, Khalek told his wife about the incident before going to bed. Later, he took poison in his bedroom. When family members found about it they took him to Panchagarh Sadar Hospital that night. As his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where he died yesterday morning. Locals said Khalek did not leave anything behind for his family; he was buried with help from the locals. Mohida Khatun, wife of Khalek, said: “Surat Jamal and others snatched their rickshaw and humiliated Khalek in front of a crowd. Unable to bear the humiliation, Khalek committed suicide.” She blamed the money lenders for her husband’s death and she wanted justice. Farhad Hossain, chairman of Chakla union of the upazila, confirmed the incident and said: “We will take proper actions against the usurers and money lenders.” When contacted, Md Giasuddin Ahmed, police superintended of Panchagarh, told journalists that he would take action against the usurers and money lenders as soon as possible.