Born Into a Poor Family

In the last three years there were many days, I witnessed that Bellal Bhai did not have money to buy food for his family. Over the year the family could only afford 1-2 kilos of meat or perhaps a few kilos of fish, but no more. Most meals consist of rice, a few chillies, a single onion and sometimes a roasted potato. And there are days when they don't eat at all. This is the story of Bellal Bhai, 36, his wife Nururnahar Bhabi, 27, and their two daughters Bilkis, 7, and Shamima, 6 months who live in Kalabagi, a remote village in the Khulna division of south-west Bangladesh.
Bellal Bhai mainly catches shrimp fries (larvae) and collect firewood for a living from the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forests. His income varies between 20 Taka and 350 Taka (AUD 35¢ to $ 6) per day. This depends on how much he can catch. Some days his net comes up empty and is forced him to beg for a loan from the local loan shark to feed his family.
Nururnahar Bhabi used to occasionally work as a domestic helper, but now she does not earn an income despite having primary education. Like other village women she does all the household job. In winter, the lack of rain forces Bhabi to walk a kilometre and back every day to collect drinking water from a pond. She had to do this even when she was pregnant. Such is their poverty that she has never been to a doctor, nor received any medical assistance during her pregnancy. Anyway there is no certified doctor within the village, so Bhabi would have to walk at least ten kilometres to the medical centre at the Upazila headquarters, or travel even further by boat to Khulna city. Poverty would not allow this expenditure of time or resources.
Bilkis spends most of her time playing with other children. She is without education and learns only through play, which usually emulates her mother’s daily activities such as cooking, child rearing, feeding and doing household chores. This is common in village life, and conceivably contributes to young girls becoming mothers themselves at an early age.
Bellal Bhai shares his thoughts on his family's situation; “I think we are poor because we were born into a poor family and once again, without education, land, fishing nets or a boat we can’t escape poverty. But still we always think about how we can improve our future, even knowing that it’s hard to get a better life.”

“I think we are poor because we were born into a poor family and once again, without education, land, fishing nets or a boat we can’t escape poverty. But still we always think about how we can improve our future even knowing that it’s hard to get a better life.” – Bellal Bhai

Bellal Bhai has to get up early in the morning to go to the Sunderbans to fish and collect firewood, but he risks being killed by Bengal tigers. When I went with him one day, he told me, “You know, a few weeks back a tiger killed a person here, in the place where we are right now.”

Every time Bellal Bhai places his net in the water behind his boat he hopes he will get a good catch, but most of the time he ends up with only a small amount. This is because he is always in the last row of boats, where the fish are few. Bellal Bhai can never manage to fish in the first row of boats because he doesn’t have the ability to be part of the dominant group of fisherman.

Over the past three years I went fishing with Bellal Bhai numerous times. On 2 January 2013, after a long day we caught 82 shrimp fries and sold them for 60 Taka each. We were lucky enough to catch around 100g of other small fish for his family. Bellal Bhai’s income varies between 20 Taka and 350 Taka per day, depending on how much he can catch, but some days his net comes up empty.

When I saw drops of dew falling from the edge of their broken steel roof, I thought they were as valuable as pearls. If they could collect this moisture, they would have bit more fresh water to drink.

In winter, the lack of rain forces Bhabi to walk a kilometre and back every day to collect drinking water from a pond. She had to do this even when she was pregnant.

Most of the time Bellal Bhai’s family has a very small amount of money. Sometimes they do not have any. During these times they can only afford some rice, a few chillies, a little onion and a roasted potato for each meal. I often saw Bhabi wake to find that ants had infested last night’s leftover rice. She would have to get rid of them so it could still be eaten. Usually Bellal Bhai goes for their weekly shopping in the late afternoon, as everything is cheaper at closing time. On 3 January 2013, he spent 286 Taka for their food. He did not have enough money to buy meat or fish or even rice.

Bellal Bhai’s family is lucky enough to get 27 kilos of wheat or rice every month as relief from the Government. They usually share some portion of the wheat with their extended family. Sometimes Bhai’s neighbour comes to check the quality of the flour, just out of curiosity.

Most of the time Bellal Bhai’s family has a very small amount of money. Sometimes they do not have any. During these times they can only afford some rice, a few chillies, a little onion and a roasted potato for each meal. I often saw Bhabi wake to find that ants had infested last night’s leftover rice. She would have to get rid of them so it could still be eaten. Usually Bellal Bhai goes for their weekly shopping in the late afternoon, as everything is cheaper at closing time. On 3 January 2013, he spent 286 Taka for their food. He did not have enough money to buy meat or fish or even rice.

Seven year-old Bilkis usually does not attend school. It is too far and her parents are not concerned about her lack of education. She sometimes attends the local mosque for religious education, but this is very rare. For the past few months she has been living at her grandparents place, where she started to attend the local Pathshala (village school).

Last year, Bellal Bhai told me about what he hopes for his family. “My brothers all have sons. I hope we can have a boy, and I will send him to the Madrasa. Our first son died during infancy, so we really hope Allah will give us another.” In July 2014, Bellal Bhai told me over the phone, “Allah again gave us a girl, but we are happy with her. Your Bhabi is also happy with the little one.”

As I watched Bellal Bhai take a photo of Nururnahar Bhabi with his mobile phone, I was reminded of the way in which he’s changed since I first met him. He is much more caring towards his family.

Bellal Bhai and Nururnahar Bhabi have very little time to themselves. “After a very long hard day we don’t have the luxury to spend time alone. Even though I really enjoy the time when she (Nururnahar) plucks my white hair at night and when she helps me to use soap on my back while bathing.” – Bellal Bhai

Bellal Bhai’s dreams are very simple. He wants to watch a movie in a cinema hall or to pose for a photograph with the balloons, which local street vendors sell. I took him to Khulna with me to see a doctor and to visit my family at the same time. When he visited the city, he told me about his modest dreams.

Bellal Bhai has a skin disease caused by constant contact with salt water and mud. I took him to Khulna with me to see a doctor and to visit my family at the same time. When he visited the city, he told me about his modest dreams; buying plain bread for the family and a handbag as a gift for Bhabi.

Bellal Bhai’s dreams are very simple. He wants to watch a movie in a cinema hall or to pose for a photograph with the balloons, which local street vendors sell. I took him to Khulna with me to see a doctor and to visit my family at the same time. When he visited the city, he told me about his modest dreams.

“Go to Shafikul’s (the loan shark’s) and try to get some money,” Bhabi said to Bellal Bhai. “Otherwise how can we manage for the whole week? Ask him for a loan. Tell him that you didn’t catch enough.” So, Bellal Bhai and I went to the loan shark’s house and tried to convince him to give us some money, but we had to leave empty handed.

During the off-season Bellal Bhai becomes lazy and usually does not do anything except wander around the village. He enjoys watching his neighbour play cards, but he never takes part in any games nor does he wish to.

Bellal Bhai’s boat remains moored at the river’s edge for weeks at a time during the off-season. During low tide it remains still like a dead body and at high tide, it moves gently with the waves.

Shehab Uddin

Chain of Poverty

Amrao Manush

Born Into a Poor Family