No time to read? Just listen to the news!
TL;DR
- A newborn in Dinajpur, sold for medical expenses, was reunited with her biological parents after a month.
- The child was initially exchanged for 37,000 Taka to cover her father’s treatment costs after he was injured in a protest.
- Social Welfare officials facilitated the child’s return, with the adoptive family in Kurigram cooperating and receiving their payment back.
- The biological mother expressed regret over the initial decision and happiness at her daughter’s return.
The newborn daughter of Abdur Rashid and Rokeya Begum from Dinajpur, who was sold to another couple to cover her father’s medical expenses, has been reunited with her biological parents. The child was returned after a month-long separation, marking a significant turn of events in a case that had drawn widespread attention.
Md Moinul Huq, the acting deputy director of the Social Welfare Department in Dinajpur, accompanied Rokeya to retrieve her daughter from the adoptive couple’s home in Kurigram. The handover was facilitated by prior communication with the adoptive family, as reported by Foisal Raihan, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Dinajpur Sadar upazila.
The mother and child returned to Dinajpur around midnight. In a gesture of goodwill, the payment initially made for the child was returned to the adoptive family.
Expressing her relief and joy, Rokeya stated, “Giving her away was a mistake. I am very happy that she was returned to us.”
The circumstances leading to this unusual situation unfolded on August 12, just three days after the child’s birth. The infant was handed over to a childless couple in exchange for 37,000 Taka, with 25,000 Taka paid upfront and the remaining 12,000 Taka to be paid later.
The decision to give up their newborn was driven by dire financial circumstances. Abdur Rashid, a day laborer and the child’s father, had been injured during a clash between protesters and law enforcement on August 4. He was hit by shotgun pellets, necessitating expensive medical treatment that the family could not afford.
This case has shed light on the extreme measures some families are forced to consider in the face of overwhelming medical expenses and poverty. It has also sparked discussions about the need for better social support systems and accessible healthcare for vulnerable populations in Bangladesh.
The return of the child to her biological parents marks a positive resolution to a situation that had raised serious concerns about child welfare and the socio-economic challenges faced by many families in the region.
News Source: the daily star
