Struggle for a decent living
Md Nur Ullah appears quite distinct from other rickshaw-pullers as he does the arduous task with only one hand and leg.
Nur, 28, son of a day labourer at Purbodagi village in Melandah upazila of Jamalpur, has continued the job in the same manner in Dhaka for the last 15 years, having lost his left hand and right leg in a Jamalpur train accident in 2000.
"After treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for nearly two months, I returned home," said Nur, who had read up to Class V.
"I had to wait for a year to regain my strength. Then Iman Ali of my village, who used to beg in Dhaka to support his family, took me there. I also got engaged in begging there," Nur recalled.
"After two months, Iman died and I returned home. But poverty forced me to go to Dhaka again and I remained dependent on the mercy of others for a few months, Nur said.
"Suddenly I met my village friend Hafiz Ullah who used to pull rickshaw in Dhaka's Tejgoan area.
"One day Hafiz asked me to take his rickshaw to the garage and I agreed as I knew how to ride bicycle.
"Carrying several passengers, I earned Tk 70 while going to the garage. And I got inspired to change my life," he said.
With the help of Hafiz, later Nur managed a rickshaw from the same garage and started his life anew, earning with dignity although it requires much labour, especially for a challenged person like Nur.
Now he pulls rickshaw in Dhaka and with the average daily earning of around Tk 400, he is running his three-member family.
"For the last five years, rickshaw pulling has become easy for me as battery-run rickshaw is available now," said Nur, adding that he also pulls rickshaw at Melandah when he comes home from Dhaka.
However, Nur is worried about his six-year-old physically challenged girl Nadia Akhter.
“Due to financial crisis, I cannot arrange proper treatment for my daughter.
Who will take her responsibility when I grow old?” lamented Nur.
He wants a job from the government under 'quota meant for people with disability' as his present occupation will not be fit for him after a few years.
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