Eradicating curse of begging

The number of beggars in the country is rising. Officially, there were some 2.5 lakh beggars in 2019. It is a gross underestimate. Begging is a good source of earnings for some. Instead of working, they prefer begging. There are begging mafias who are controlling a large number of beggars. It is known to all. Again some have chosen to beg as an addiction. Despite being self-reliant, they are begging. Some are also part-time beggars.

These beggars are a nuisance to the pedestrians and common people. Some are also criminals in the guise of beggars. It is not difficult to identify and rehabilitate the real beggars. To do that the government needs to make a strategy. Funding for the rehabilitation may be collected from people. They should be discouraged from paying the beggars. Instead, the money should be deposited to a state fund for the rehabilitation of beggars. Also, a strong anti-crime drive is necessary to find out the miscreants in the guise of baggers. This will reduce the number of beggars significantly. Finally, the government needs to create various job opportunities. It is possible to eradicate begging with the combined efforts of the rich people of the country, social workers, government and non-governmental organisations.

Md Shahadat Hossain

Teacher, Doshaid AK School and College

Savar, Dhaka.

shadu_cu07@yahoo.com