Looking after neighbours this winter

Winter arrives quietly, with foggy mornings, cold winds and the familiar chill in the air. While many look forward to this season with warm clothes, blankets and hot meals, the same period becomes a harsh struggle for countless poor and homeless people around us. They live in our neighbourhoods, our villages and our city slums. Many street children and vulnerable individuals do not even have a secure place to sleep, spending their nights on footpaths, railway stations or under open skies.

For those whose daily battle is securing food, buying warm clothes is a distant luxury. Many try to survive the cold by wrapping themselves in old sacks, torn garments or pieces of polythene. When they fall ill from cold-related diseases, treatment remains out of reach. Some huddle around makeshift fires, while others curl up in corners simply trying to endure. Sadly, these people often remain invisible to society, even though they are very much part of it.

Although charitable initiatives exist, they often remain distant and disconnected from the immediate needs of the people right beside us. The worst suffering of winter is felt by these silent neighbours, who rarely receive the warmth of our attention or compassion.

This reality places a moral and social responsibility on all of us to look out for those around us. Local, neighbourhood-based initiatives can make a significant difference. Volunteer groups can identify poor families, street children and elderly residents in need of warm clothing. Unused but good-quality coats, sweaters, blankets and shawls sitting in our closets can bring real relief to these families. Those who are able can also arrange hot meals or purchase new winter clothes for several households.

Let this winter not be a season of suffering for the poor, but a time of warmth created through collective care and humanity.

Rafijul Islam Rahat

Pabna University of Science and Technology

rafijul2004@gmail.com