Written by Md. Golam Rabbany
M.G. Rabbany is taking interview of chotto nari (Flower sellers), date 16.08.2007Bithi Akter
"Bithi Akter is about 13 years old. She is the second child of her parents. She has one elder sister and two younger sisters but she has no brothers. Her elder sister (16) got married one year and several month ago. Her father’s name is Dulal and he is about 40 years old. Her father is unemployed as he is now sick. Before, he used to pull Rickshaw. About five years ago her father gave up pulling Rickshaw as he became sick. Her mother works as a house maid worker and she is the main earning member of their family. They rented a house at Nurrerchala near Notun Bazar. They have to give 1100 taka per month.
Bithi Akter studied for about two years in a NGO school. But last January, 07 their school stopped providing study. Now she can read and write Bangla and English and she also learned how to measurement. Now she works as home worker. Almost whole day she stays at their house. But at her early life she used to sell flower and she could earn some money. Now her parents don’t support her to start flower business. Now her parents are interested to give in marriage but she is not agreed. She threatened her parents that if they try to give in marriage her, she will leave their house where she likes."
Bithi Akter studied for about two years in a NGO school. But last January, 07 their school stopped providing study. Now she can read and write Bangla and English and she also learned how to measurement. Now she works as home worker. Almost whole day she stays at their house. But at her early life she used to sell flower and she could earn some money. Now her parents don’t support her to start flower business. Now her parents are interested to give in marriage but she is not agreed. She threatened her parents that if they try to give in marriage her, she will leave their house where she likes."
Kulsuma
"Kulsuma is about 12 years old. She has two elder brothers and she is the youngest child of her parents. Her father had died when she was baby and then she did not understand anything. Her mother used to work as housemaid but now she can not work as she is aged and sick. Her second elder brother got married and he is living with his wife separately. He works in a school and he does not give any money to them. Her eldest brother does not work as he does not work. He is addicted ganja, intoxications and gambling. He behaves rough with them. He does not eat with them and just he comes at mid night to live with them.
Kulsum is the main earning member in their family. She works as tokai. She collects used bags, wasted papers, plastics, bottles, cane and other metals from dustbin. She can earn 200 taka to 400 taka per week working hard. She has to work with heavy germ, bad smell and polluted environments. And that’s why already she is affected with skin and other sickness. Her parents came from Faridpur but they have nothing in their village and she does not visit ever to their village. She and some of her neighboring friends studied in an NGO school but after 2006 their school stopped. Now she can read and write Bangla and English both. She was the best students in her class."
Kulsum is the main earning member in their family. She works as tokai. She collects used bags, wasted papers, plastics, bottles, cane and other metals from dustbin. She can earn 200 taka to 400 taka per week working hard. She has to work with heavy germ, bad smell and polluted environments. And that’s why already she is affected with skin and other sickness. Her parents came from Faridpur but they have nothing in their village and she does not visit ever to their village. She and some of her neighboring friends studied in an NGO school but after 2006 their school stopped. Now she can read and write Bangla and English both. She was the best students in her class."
Lovely Akter
"Lovely is about 13 years old and she is the eldest child of their family. She has one younger brother and one younger sister. Her father worked as a Rickshaw puller but two years ago he fell in sick and still now he can not work or pull Rickshaw. Her father’s name is Babu and he is about 40 years old. Her mother works as a house maid and her mother is the only one earning member of their family. Her parents came from Demra where they have not any wealth and she does not visit their village ever. She does not know when her parents migrated in Dhaka.
Lovely studied in same NGO School about two years. She can read and write English and Bangla both. She is in problem as her parents want to give in marriage her. Already one bridal party came to see her and chose her. But she is not agreed with this marriage just now. She wants to get married long days later. But her parents offer her often. She cried out a lot and said her parents if they give her in marriage just now she will leave their house. Now sometimes her parents try to understand that every women needs to get married and make a family. Lovely used to sell flowers but now she does not go as her neighboring friends stopped to go. On the other hand, her guardians forbid her to go alone to sell flowers."
Lovely studied in same NGO School about two years. She can read and write English and Bangla both. She is in problem as her parents want to give in marriage her. Already one bridal party came to see her and chose her. But she is not agreed with this marriage just now. She wants to get married long days later. But her parents offer her often. She cried out a lot and said her parents if they give her in marriage just now she will leave their house. Now sometimes her parents try to understand that every women needs to get married and make a family. Lovely used to sell flowers but now she does not go as her neighboring friends stopped to go. On the other hand, her guardians forbid her to go alone to sell flowers."
Ruby Akter
"Ruby Akter is about 13 years old and she is the youngest child of their family. She has two elder brothers and two elder sisters. Her father got second married with another woman and he is living with his second wife to another place. He sometimes comes to their house but he does not give them any money to maintain their family. Her eldest brother got married and he is living separately with his wife. Her second elder brother does not work and he is addicted to ganja, heroin etc and gambling. He often steals money from their house and beat her mother and Ruby.
Her mother is beggar. She begs door to door and shop to shop. Ruby works as a Tokia. She searches wasted bags, papers, plastics, bottles and other metals in the dustbin and roadsides. Ruby and her mother maintain their family. They have to pay 1100 taka per month as house rent.
One day Ruby’s father took a bridal party to give in marriage Ruby. But Ruby’s elder brother was not agreed with this marriage right now and he stopped that marriage. Ruby was also not agreed to get marriage as she wants to get marriage several years later."
Her mother is beggar. She begs door to door and shop to shop. Ruby works as a Tokia. She searches wasted bags, papers, plastics, bottles and other metals in the dustbin and roadsides. Ruby and her mother maintain their family. They have to pay 1100 taka per month as house rent.
One day Ruby’s father took a bridal party to give in marriage Ruby. But Ruby’s elder brother was not agreed with this marriage right now and he stopped that marriage. Ruby was also not agreed to get marriage as she wants to get marriage several years later."
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All of these four girls live same house but separate room. They have to pay 1100 to 1200 taka per month individually as house rent. Their house’s roof is made of tin, fence is bamboo and floor is mud. They have electricity connection and house owner remains stop electricity connection after evening every day. They with some other families use unsafe latrine from where bad smell blows. They can not say anything for eviction and sometimes house owner threats to evict them.
Their house is situated east side of Notun Bazar Nurarechala near America embassy under Badda thana. The name of their house owner is Mrs. Parul .
These four little girls want to study more and grow up well. They want to be educated and want to work at least in the garment factory. Some of them already went to the garment factories but they were not recruited as they were under aged.
These four little girls have two events in their life which they will not forget ever. These are their memorial day still now. They were looking fresh and happy when they were expressing their memorial events. One day they (these four girls) were selling flowers at Gulshan-2 market and they saw a white car was passing them. Then Ruby and lovely offered her flowers to buy. Then that foreigner gave them 100 taka each of them. Another day this foreigner took them to a rich restaurant and feed them precious and delicious food which they did not get scope to eat ever. They everyone thinks that this foreigner loves them more than their parents. This foreigner is an American and her name is DR. KATHRYN B WARD. Sometimes they phone to the KB Ward’s driver (Ripon mama) to know when their favorite person will come to Bangladesh.
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