***Whenever we face these street beggars, we get annoyed or sometimes behave harshly towards them. But we fail to understand the situation that compels them to beg. The simplest thing that we can do for them is not to behave rudely. Some may give alms, others may not, but behaving politely and sympathetically does not cost anything. The privileged section of the society has also the respon -sibility to try to rehabilitate these unfortunate people - either by employing them or by making them self-employed. Efforts to fulfil the millennium dream of all the social strata will surely make the millennium meaningful.***

NEW millennium has just arrived. The whole world celebrated the advent of the new millennium. New desires. new hopes, new dreams were meant for this occasion. In our country also a great celebration took place welcoming the millennium. Media, especially the satellite channels, made the word ■millennium" so popular that one of the walls of the Banani slum also greets you with writing "Happy Milenum 2000" (!) on it. Though the word was mis spelt, it is noticeable that even the people living in that slum area are aware of this term. But what about those people of our country who are struggling for their livelihood? On the New Year’s eve when some were partying and having fun. there were many more who were sleeping on the roadside or at the station. They have no work, no family and no place to protect themselves from the biting cold. Has the millennium brought any new hope for

Street beggars are not uncommon in Dhaka city. They are of different ages - from a just born child to an old person of 80 - both males and females. You meet them while waiting for the bus. stacking up in a traffic jam. or while you are at the market place. Even when you are out for your morning walk or at the educational institutions. they are seen with all the marks of poverty in their appearance. Sometimes, especially on fridays. you need not go out they will knock at your door and beg for help rather in a somewhat abnormal voice just to attract attention. These beggars depend upon the compassion of the privileged part of the society to earn their livelihood. Since we are dreaming for a belter and more humane new millennium, we cannot exclude those beggars who are living on alms as they are inseparable part of our society. I was seized with curiosity that when the well off parts of the society are celebrating the millennium in various ways, dreaming for a prosperous future, what the other portion of the society who actually depend on our compassion. who are begging to earn their food with no shelter other than the street, think about the new millennium. I wanted to know about their hopes, dreams and wishes in this millennium.

Saleha is about twenty five. She came from a village in Fenl district. She got married at the age of sixteen. Her husband, a day labourer by profession was demanding a rickshaw as d°'Yry- Saleha s parents failed to fulfil his demand. Saleha suffered mentally and physi nSw/h* Even

lually her husband got marrted ^?HI1.and hanlshed her along with her one-yeltr-old son. In the mean time her parents passed away making her help-less In this cruel world. Nobody

her Inend C " Unfortunate Saleha then had no other choice but to d5 K0 ,0 the capital In srarch of a Job. She tried her J* *£.£* e l°b to earn ,0od lor her ch^ First she tried for a worker. In all refused aa she d w,h h'r B'sldes S 1,01 confident to employ her without anyone s ST®." Wh° c°uld certfly her S1J hr”? a',d lmPor trt2Ly hcr honesty Then she tried to work as a day labourer mu ' 8h' had to leave the

c^sS she'ra"1 thUd be-

Si" hcr bu< it g 001 want to beg ner in this disrespectful occupa lion.

I asked her about the millennium. which she failed to understand at first. Later she said that this does not mean anything to her. "We are poor without any possession. This might mean anything to the rich, but not to us" - this was her first expression. Saleha does not eat ner food In most of the days. She tries hard to feed her baby. She has been staying in Dhaka city for about two years. Still she has not managed to get a shelter. Whatever the weather is. she has to pass the nights on the stairs of a multi-storied commercial building. She spends dawn to dusk in the streets of Dhaka - ”1 am com-gelled to beg by the sting of unger. I am being reproached for each and every day. Some give alms, some don’t. But there are people who behave harshly towards me and my baby." Slaeha has to fight even against the police who are appointed to enforce the rule of taw and to protect the weak and sufferer. She was harassed by them on various occasions. These are the harsh realities that Saleha has to face everyday.

When she was asked about getting married again, she answered with complete rejection. She is afraid that her husband may not allow her to keep her son. or she may be banished again for some similar reasons as had happened in the past. So sheprefers not to marry again.

Though Saleha has lots of difficulties and hazards in her life, but she has to go on nourishing a dream somewhere deep inside her heart. She is only looking forward for those days when her child will grow up. when he will not need anyone to attend to him. Then Saleha will try to get a job - whatever the salary is. A job will bring change in her life. She will send her son to school at any cost. She will educate him and one, day her son will get a good job’ in some office and then her hard days will be over for good. All her hopes, her dreams are centred around the future of her son. Her everyday hardship is for food, shelter and clothing -but her ultimate hardship is for.

making her son a ’gentleman’. It is surprising that being deprived from all pleasures of life. Saleha has not yet lost her confidence. She strongly believes in her dreams about her son. A millennium dream indeed.

Few days back I found Moti pulling a trolley on a footpath in a posch area of the capital. He is about nine years old - the age which is supposed to be full of fun and away from all anxieties. But he cannot enjoy his childhood. When Saleha is struggling to earn food for her son. Moti is sacrificing his childhood to earn living for his mother and himself. He was only five when his father Sassed away. The whole sky roke upon them when her mother lost her legs in a tragic road accident umile coming back home from the garment factory where she used to work Days full of sorrows and poverty started. They had to starve even for three days at a stretch. Then his mother started begging on the Kakoli over-bridge at Banani. Alter a year she managed a trolley. Now for about three years Moti has been pulling the trolley for his mother. Meanwhile he managed a job as a domestic worker in a house. But he could work there only for three months. His employers were very rude towards him. He was beaten even for the simplest fault. Moreover the food they usually provided was inadequate tor him. He was not given the salary that was promised. Still he would not have left the job. but his young heart was crying for his mother. Then he left the job and returned to his previous occupation. He started pulling his mother's trolley in the posch residential areas of the city where it is more likely to get better alms. What they earn by begging is barely enough to sustain two lives.

Surprisingly Moti knows the term millennium and what it means. According to his experi ence each year on the New Year s eve there are many parties and this means good food for them the following day. This time it was much bigger and much more colourful

Eventually Moti and his mother got food which was enough for the next three days. He wished if this sort of millennium could come repeatedly in a year. I asked about his dreams for the new millennium. He answered that he wishes to be a hero' of cinema. He has watched movies on television while serving as a domestic worker. The bravery and the luxurious life of the hero inspired him. But for the time being he is eager to get a Job - may be' in the film industry, or in a car workshop; but never in a household He does not feel the importance of education in life. To him it is wastage of time.

Abdul Mian is an old mein of sixty. He was a farmer having landed property in his village. He lost all his possessions due to river erosion. At this old age he came to Dhaka because of hunger. He did not hear about the term 'millennium'. He only prays to God to take him away from this cruel and hopeless world. He cried aloud that at this old age none is willing to give him any kind of work and ne himself feels that his health will not allow him to do any physical work.

There are hundred and thousands of Salehas. Motis and Abdul Mians in the streets of Dhaka. Some are looking for job. Some are not guided. Some are waiting for the last breath. Whenever we face these street beggars, we get annoyed or sometimes behave harshly towards them. But we fail to understand the situation that compels them to beg. The simplest thing that we can do for them is not to behave rudely. Some may give alms, others may not. but behaving politely and sympathetically does not cost anything. The privileged section of the society has also the responsibility to try to rehabilitate these unfortunate people - either by employing them or by making them self-employed.'Efforts to fulfil the millennium dream of all the social strata will surely make the millennium meaningful.

The author is a Faculty Member of School of English. Queens University. Dhaka.