Swapno Chaka takes food to needy middle-class families in Dhaka

Voluntary organisation Swapno Chaka has taken an initiative to deliver food among middle-class families that cannot publicly seek support over the financial crisis following the coronavirus outbreak.

The organisation delivers essentials like rice, lentils, potatoes and oil among 100 families in different areas of Dhaka between 10:00am and 4:00pm daily.

"We have two hotline numbers -- 01766622202 and 01766622204. Once anyone seeks support from us by calling these two numbers, we send the foods through our eight riders," KM Abul Hasnat, founder of Swapno Chaka, told The Daily Star.

He said the service was primarily introduced in Gulshan in support of the Gulshan Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, but people from all over Dhaka are now calling for support.

"We have decided to provide support to the middle class families, who cannot come out on the streets to seek support like the poor and needy families," he said.

Regarding the financial support, Hasnat said they have a club called "Ninety Six-Ninety Eight", which has 800 members now. "We have collected a share from our friends and are using the funds to support the needy families."

SUPPORT FOR FARMERS

Meanwhile, the organisation has also decided to extend its support for the root-level farmers who are not getting proper prices for their vegetables during this crisis period. Swapno Chaka will buy vegetables directly from the field and distribute three kilograms of vegetables for free with the rice and lentils to the needy families in Dhaka.

The farmers have to sell their cultivated vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and bottle gourds for Tk one," said Razib Al Masud, a member of Swapno Chaka.

"We have selected a union of Dinajpur district to collect the vegetables. Through this process, we will be able to help the farmers and also the needy people," said Razib, also the deputy commissioner of Detective Branch of DMP.

Apart from distributing the vegetables, the organisation plans to sell a portion of it to members of the club and friends so that they can cover the expenses, added Razib.

Like this organisation, a volunteer group called — Moghbazar — is also working to support middle class families. "They collect information of needy families, especially middle class ones, and then informed the local police to arrange support for them," said Hafiz Al Faruk, additional deputy commissioner of Tejgaon Division police.

An admin of the Facebook page Moghbazar, Arafat Hossain Sifat said they have given a list of 25 volunteers in their area, who will help police in this crisis period. Right now, volunteers of the page are working as bridges between donors and seekers, he added.