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In a remarkable story of love and resilience, a centenarian daughter is caring for her elderly mother as the two women navigate the final chapters of their lives with no close relatives to depend on.
Fatema Begum and her daughter Manikjan are residents of Garmati Westpara village in Gopalpur union of Baraigram upazila, Natore.
According to Fatema’s national identity card, she was born on September 28, 1927, making her 98 years old. However, local residents claim she is much older, estimating her age at between 125 and 130. Her daughter Manikjan is believed to be around 100.
For years, the mother and daughter lived together in a dilapidated tin-roofed house, exposed to rain and storms. With no close family members regularly checking on them, they relied largely on neighbours for support.
Fatema’s husband, Shaken Sarker, died shortly after Bangladesh’s independence. She had two daughters and a son. Her son, Abdul Aziz, who had a disability, died about 10 years ago at the age of 80. Another daughter had also died earlier, leaving Fatema and Manikjan as each other’s only dependable family.
Neighbours said their old house had walls made partly of bamboo and that the worn-out tin roof leaked whenever it rained. The wooden supports had also become dangerously weak, raising fears that the structure could collapse at any time.
Their plight recently came to the attention of Manobik Seba Foundation, a local volunteer organisation, which stepped in to help.
Shahadat Ullah Noor Sumon, chairman of the foundation, said the house was no longer fit for habitation and could have collapsed even in a moderate storm.
After consulting the organisation’s advisory council, they decided to build a safer home for the mother and daughter.
New York-based expatriate Bangladeshi Zahid Alam, originally from Chattogram, also came forward to support the initiative and donated Tk98,000.
Of the amount, Tk80,000 was used to build a new tin-roofed house, including a concrete floor and new timber and bamboo materials. The remaining money will be used to buy rice, lentils and other essential supplies for the two women.
The new home has brought relief to local residents, who say the modest shelter means much more to the mother and daughter than just a roof over their heads.
Local youth Zahurul Islam said the initiative showed that compassion and humanity still have a place in society.
“A house may seem like an ordinary thing to many people. But for these two elderly women, who have no one else to rely on, it has become a symbol of safety and new hope,” he said.
Fatema recalled fragments of her childhood, saying a teacher once taught her the Bengali alphabet by writing on palm leaves, but she never continued her education.
She also remembered a time when her maternal grandfather owned many buffaloes and large areas of land, and the family travelled by bullock and buffalo carts.
Manikjan said neither she nor her mother could read or write and that knowing their exact ages would have been easier if their ages had been recorded properly.
“I look after my mother,” she said. “But I cannot bathe her alone. Two or three people have to help, so I call neighbours for assistance.”
She said the two had survived largely with the help of people living nearby and expressed gratitude to those who had recently provided them with a new home and food supplies.
“May Allah bless those who have stood beside helpless people like us,” she said.
Baraigram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Layla Jannatul Ferdous said it was remarkable that two women of such advanced age continued to depend on each other.
“It is heartening to know that a volunteer organisation has come forward to support them. I will also visit them and provide assistance as needed,” she said.
