A hero without a cape

She was an eccentric woman in her thirties. She had no recollection of her last address and was seen lurking at the corner of a bridge at Kalitola in the city of Dinajpur, be it during the harsh grasp of winter, in summer or in pouring rain. It was as if that was her abode.

Her harsh odour turned away pedestrians. Her diet consisted of just about anything she could find edible, and her skin bore scabs, which only got worse due to her lifestyle.

She had no way of knowing MA Maruf Kain, who hails from Rangpur's Badarganj upazila. Travelling through the long, winding roads on his easy-bike, he arrived in Dinajpur on July 12, all to take the woman to shelter at  his  institution -- Glory Social Development Organisation.

"There were several hundred insect bites all over her body," said Maruf, adding that the woman has mental ailments. Providing treatment to her turned out to be a formidable task for Maruf, since she always kept removing her bandages.

Once Maruf earned her trust, the unnamed woman revealed her name -- Shefali, the daughter of a rickshaw-puller residing in Dinajpur. After a three-month stay at the shelter, it was as if Shefali was rejuvenated. She was  fully able to take care of herself.

A total of 18 people, 15 of whom are female, from different social and religious backgrounds, currently reside at Maruf's shelter home at Hasinanagar village in Dinajpur's Parbatipur upazila.

 Since its advent in 2014, 58 people have been able to call it their home.

"I used to work at a healthcare facility in Parbatipur. In 2012, on my way to work, I came across a 55-year-old woman named Shibani on the side of the road at Sarkarpara," said Maruf.

He immediately came to her aid, as she was left totally uncared for. His wife,  Moriam Begum also supported her husband's initiative by trying to locate Shibani's family. However, her attempts fell flat, as Shibani failed to recollect her address. After this, Maruf simply decided to take her to a safe home.

On his return journey, Maruf again found a man aged around 35 years, in a condition similar to that of Shibahi. He rescued him too, which eventually prompted him to establish a shelter for the destitute.

Maruf quit his job in 2013 and set up the charitable home in a rented house in 2014.

During a visit to the home recently, this correspondent found that  the establishment is a semi-brick built house with several rooms to accommodate the beneficiaries.

Over the years, 15 of them passed away due to old-age complications at the home, while 25 were reunited with their kin.

"My aim is to ensure basic rights for such 'discarded' people," said Maruf, adding that he is getting significant support from locals of the village.

"Each of the 80 families in the area used to donate a kilo of rice every month, although this has stymied since the pandemic hit," he added.

Besides, he receives Tk 30,000 every month as donation from philanthropists of different districts, Maruf said.

"The collection isn't nearly enough to run the home, as the expense of all daily necessities have soared," he said. His monthly expenses round up to Tk 75,000, including food, clothes, staff payment and treatment.

On top of all this, Maruf has also arranged a graveyard for unclaimed people. "If any beneficiary of the Hindu community dies, there are arrangements to cremate them," he said.

In 2018, the organisation received the approval of the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Nikhil Chandra Roy, president of the 31-member managing body of the organisation, said, "Locals feel proud of the institution, as it allowed them the opportunity to take care of the destitute."