Compassionate youths rush to help flood victims

A humanitarian group of compassionate youths were a sight for sore eyes and the answer to the soulful prayers of hundreds of appreciative villagers in the Kurigram (Char Rajibpur) area of Bangladesh this week.

Kurigram was one of the many areas that were flooded and cut-off from their regular food supplies, which brought tears, despair and havoc to the region, especially to the sick and elderly.

“When the sad news came to our attention, a rescue mission was mounted immediately,” said Ashikur Rahman, a spokesman for the charity youth group, Revolution to Improve Bangladesh.

“Our leader, Rubel Hussain, phoned some of the members and among them they decided to visit the area the following day and assess at first hand the situation. What they saw greatly disturbed them,” Ashikur said.

Upon returning from Kurigram, a distance of 250 kilometres, Rubel called an emergency meeting of the Revolution to Improve Bangladesh members, explained the horrific dilemma the village people faced and a rescue mission was mounted.

“Although raining cats and dogs most days, members visited schools in the Gazipur area and succeeded in raising around a lakh,” said Ashikur. “With that rice, sugar, potatoes and other essential item like Orsaline were bought and taken to a go-down where RIB members divided and repackaged the food to provide for 250 families for a week.”

Rubel said: “We figured after the eight days, the situation in Chor Neoyag and surrounding villages would return to normal. Our mission was to bridge the gap and feed those who had not eaten proper food for days, if at all.

“The food and 23 members travelled in a truck overnight and then we made the delivery by boat. It was far from being a pleasant journey for hundreds of miles being tossed about in the back of a truck with no room to even sit down, but seeing the grateful look on the people made it all worthwhile,” Rubel said.

To help people in need or find out more about Revolution to Improve Bangladesh, see Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/revolutiontoimprovebd.RIB) or email ([email protected]).

Writer, Sir Frank Peters is a former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, an award-winning writer, humanitarian and a royal Goodwill Ambassador.