One rupee restaurant in Kurigram!

 Saifur Rahman Shamim, Kurigram –

 In the poverty-stricken district of Kurigram, a one-taka restaurant has been launched under the initiative of Vidyananda Foundation.  Poor people are happy to get food from city restaurants for one taka.

 In the context of the country, one taka is now worthless in the market.  The one rupee note is almost on the verge of extinction.  The shopkeepers meet its demand with chocolate.  But restaurant food for one rupee is incredible.  Indeed, such an exception has been organized by the voluntary organization Vidyananda Foundation.  Vidyananda Foundation has opened a permanent special restaurant in Charsuvarkuthi village of Holokhana Union of Sadar Upazila of Kurigram district in poverty-stricken district.  Birayani, polao, rice, fish, meat, eggs and twelve dishes are available in this one taka restaurant.  The hungry people can go to the restaurant and eat their favorite food.  Beneficiaries are happy to eat food of their choice satisfactorily in a pleasant and healthy environment.  It is difficult for so many helpless, poor and homeless people in the society to eat three meals a day in such a rising market of commodity prices.  There is nothing but luxury to eat in city restaurants.  But these poor people in remote areas are happy to eat their stomachs for one rupee.  Vidyananda Foundation’s modern home restaurant ensures a pleasant and healthy dining environment.  Where there are professional chefs, restaurant staff, menu cards and all nutritious food.  The restaurant can seat 50 people.  And in one day more than 500 people food has been organized.

 Being able to eat for money instead of eating for free gives a big smile on the face of self-esteem and self-satisfaction.  Currently, this restaurant will operate two days a week.  However, it is possible to run this restaurant every day if the rich people of the society come forward for this work.  After Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar, this one taka restaurant was opened in Kurigram.

 Beneficiary Chakina Begum said, I am coming with my grandchildren, wife and sister to the one taka restaurant.  The people of our village can never think of eating in a restaurant.  Today, everyone is happy to eat their fill for one rupee.

 Kashem Ali, an elderly woman from the beneficiary Sattor, said, “My father is getting old.”  Some days I could not eat in big hotels due to lack of money.  I am eating tea-biscuits for 5 taka.  Now the price of goods increases that is not the case.  But I could not think that I can come with my wife and eat such expensive food for one rupee.  I am very happy to be able to eat to my heart’s content for one rupee, father.

 Beneficiary Bulbuli Akhtar said, I brought the child to a hotel for one taka.  Rice, fish, meat, egg, salad, fruit, misti khelam.  In Kamla Deya’s family, going to a hotel in the city would cost at least 4/5 hundred taka.  But to be able to eat here for one rupee seems like a dream.

 Volunteer Hriday said, today I am working as a waiter in a restaurant for the first time in my life.  That too is free.  By doing this, we can realize the sweaty labor of employees who are regular hotel waiters, cooks.  I am really proud to have done such a hardship for the people of the remote areas.

 Akrum Hossain, head of volunteers, said that the volunteers of Vidyananda Foundation go door to door to find the poor, orphans and helpless people and give them tokens.  Later they came and took advantage of Vidyananda Foundation.

 Public relations head of Vidyananda Foundation, Salman Khan Yachin said, currently the restaurant will operate two days a week.  However, there is a plan to do this every day if the rich people of the society come forward.  An average of 500 people can be served from this restaurant every day.  This restaurant is only a model in Kurigram.  If such activities are started in various poor areas of the country, the people of this township will get relief from suffering from hunger as well as nutritional deficiency diseases. 

Blanket distribution by ‘Student Welfare Organization’ of Dhaka Nursing College in Kurigram.

 Saifur Rahman Shamim, Kurigram : 28/1/2023

 A voluntary organization named ‘Students Welfare Organization’ of Dhaka Nursing College stands by the poor and poor people of Kurigram.  On Saturday afternoon, the organization distributed blankets among hundreds of cold people at Kurigram Press Club premises.

 Kurigram Press Club president Raju Mostafiz was the chief guest and joint editor Mahfuz Khandkar was present as special guest and distributed these blankets.

 Father of Dhaka Nursing College student and Kurigram Press Club publicity and publication coordinator Shaheen Ahmed, journalist Saiful Islam and others were present in the event.

 Golenur Bewa (55) of Hospitalpara Basti, who received blankets in winter, said, “I was suffering due to lack of blankets in severe winter.”  Glad to have this blanket.  From today there will be no more difficulty in preventing winter.

 Jainuddin (60) of Bus Terminal Chachanipara Basti received a blanket and said with a smile that it is very cold here.  I was in dire need of a blanket.  Now I got the blanket.  I am very happy.  I am praying for those who gave us blankets.

 A voluntary organization called Students Welfare Organization of Dhaka Nursing College has been providing this blanket support for the cold in different districts of the country including Dhaka, Panchagarh and Kurigram this winter.