Begging must be discouraged

Dhaka has become a city of beggars. Wherever we go we find beggars moving around. It seems begging has become a lucrative profession as many able-bodied men and women are seen pursuing this derogatory profession. But we must discourage begging. The government and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should join hands to eradicate this humiliating practice. On paper we have beggar-free zones in the capital, but in reality we see beggars in places like Gulshan and Banani also. Many of the beggars create social nuisance and spread crime. It is high time we rehabilitated them in some other respectable profession and give them a chance to have an honourable living. Many beggars use disabled infants to draw sympathy of the people and such practice must be stopped as it is totally inhuman. During the holy month of Ramadan we see the number of beggars surge to a staggering figure. Many of the beggars are not really needy but they have made begging their profession as they find it easy to earn a living in this way. We often hear the authority will take measures to make our city beggar-free, but those plans remain on paper only and are never materialised.

Mohammed Fardeen

Badda, Dhaka.