Shelter home for cold-hit children demanded

RAJSHAHI, Dec 19 (BSS): Speakers at a press conference here Monday demanded immediate shelter home for the cold-affected street children in the city. Referring to a report of BIDS they mentioned that around 27,000 street children live in the city in most vulnerable condition and the current severe cold bite trigger their vulnerability to a greater extent. In this regard, they have drawn due attention of the City Corporations, Ministry of Women and Child Welfare and Department of Social Welfare to start shelter homes for street children. Integrated Community and Industrial Development in Bangladesh (INCIDIN) and Adibashi Sangskritic Unnayan Sangstha (ASUS) jointly organized the media conference at Metropolitan Press Club to depict the grim picture of the vulnerable section of the society. Mushfiqur Rahman, Project Manager of INCIDIN Bangladesh, who read out the written paper, stated that the children are always deprived of all their basic rights including food, shelter, education, medical and clothes. During the cold weather, he said their vulnerability increases to the highest level. Since they have to survive through their daily earning, it is quite impossible for them to buy warm clothes. ASUS Executive Director Raj Kumar Shaw and General Secretary of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad Rabindranath Saren also spoke on the occasion. In addition to this, living in the open spaces like footpath, rail-bus station, in front of shops, market, makes the situation unbearable. Besides, they said they are abused frequently in multifarious forms like sexual, physical, emotional and trafficking due to lack of safe shelter in night. They, however, said spare spaces and unused establishments of the city corporation can be used as shelter homes especially safe night shelter, first aid medication, non-formal education, hygienic facilities. Apart from this, various corporate houses should extend their support for providing children's basic necessities like bed sheet, blanket and mosquito net.