Innocence was written all over her face with her big dark eyes telling a sad tale. When she lost her mother at the age of four, she was sent to an orphanage in Mohatnmadpur by her father. Now an eight-year-old, Shahida .wishes if she could stay outside it

"I wish I could stay with my father who occasionally comes to see me," the little girl mumbled. She hardly could finish her words when her fellows mimicked her sarcastically saying her stepmother would have broken her bones.

Shahida stays along with 112 orphans in the orphanage, which is part of a mosque and madrasa. Some 90 other boys and girls studying in the madrasa also stay on thesame premises.

The orphanage officials said they could not afford to keep more than 112 orphans, as they never receive any government fund. "We run the orphanage with the fund we receive from a

former minister of Kuwait," said an official.

Asked what makes Shahida feel to stay outside the orphanage, she gave a blank look only. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She kept mum when asked if she feels bad to stay in an orphanage when his father is alive.

The orphanage authorities serve the orphans meals three times a day. "We take rice, pulse and mashed potato in breakfast and meat or fish in lunch and dinner,” Nur Banu, a seven-year-old orphan sitting beside Shahida said.

The orphans are lucky to get free food, accommodation and education there, some of them voluntarily said. "At least the orphans here do not need to pay for education," said a student of madrasa whose parents pay for her education there.

However, she heaved a sigh of frustration saying some parents think their daughter would be better educated if they stay in hostel. "In reality, the environ-

ment is not suitable for concentrating in study as not everyone is interested in it," shesaid.

Shahida was asked if physical or mental torture causes her trouble, she moved her head in negative without uttering a word. But suddenly she spoke her heart out when this correspondent was about to leave.

"Apa, can you please tell them (authority) to open the rooftop forus. They will do it if you insist,” she urged this correspondent. All her friends surrounding her began to request the same. They said they are only allowed to go out with a guardian and of course, wearing a veil.

The rooftop of the orphanage is the only place where they can play or have some recreation. "We are always confined here,” said one of them pointing at the locked collapsible gate at the entrance of girls' section.

When asked, the officials claimed sometimes they open the roof, but girls fight each other and get hurt while playing there.