15 years on, no disability allowance for Mir Kashem

Despite being a physically and psychologically challenged person, Mir Kashem of Ramu upazila Cox’s Bazar have repeatedly been approaching the administration to get his disability allowance for the last 15 years. An inhabitant of Ilishia village of Joyarinala Union Parishad under the upazila, Kashem, who has been speech impaired for last 30 years, is visiting the government offices for last 15 years after the allowance was introduced. His mother Nur Jahan had been looking after him since his father Hazi Yusuf Ali passed away 12 years ago. But, she too died two weeks ago making him an orphan. Kashem cannot explain people about his problems and he can not walk either. “We have visited different government offices for my brothers disability allowance for last 15 years, but the wait is not over yet,” said his brother Mofizur Rahman, a schoolteacher at Sabrang upazila of Teknaf. It has become very difficult for Mofizur to look after his brother as he comes to Ramu every Thursday and have to go back to Teknaf on Saturdays. The 30-year-old disabled Mir Kashem is yet to get any help from government or private sources. Although it has passed 15 years after introduction of disabled allowance by government, but his name is not enlisted there yet. Their parents, while alive, had tried hard and soul to have Kashem’s name enlisted for the allowance, but in vain. Now, his brother Mofizur is fighting to do something for him. When asked, local UP member Mofizur Rahman said said he was unaware about the matter. “I will try to enlist his [Kashem’s] name this time,” said the UP member, who is now serving his third term. Cox’s Bazar Social Welfare Directorate Deputy director Pritam Kumar Chowdhury said: “After the allowance was introduced, the upazila social welfare office enlisted names of disabled people as suggested by local UP chairman and members. As the local Union Parishad could not submit the name of Mir Kashem, it was not included.” Ramu Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahajahan Ali said: “I came to know about the matter. Instructions have been made so that Mir Kashem gets all government facilities, including disability allowance soon.”