Hardship began in the family of Tahazzal Mia when he, the only bread-earner, fell ill four months ago.
In the sequence, Tahazzal’s only son Jihad, who was a seventh grade student, was forced to say goodbye to his study. Tahazzal took a loan from a local NGO, combining it with his small savings, bought a battery-operated van from the local market. Tahazzal handed it over to Zihad, along with the responsibility of his household.
Thus a battle for survival of an eleven years old child began. Life went on like this.
But suddenly, complications arose there.
On September 4, while Zihad was waiting in the Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga, a passenger named Bokul Sheikh appeared. Bokul falsely promised a fare of Tk. 500 and took Zihad toward the adjacent Kushtia district. When they reached the Jamjami field near Alamdanga, Bakul, pretending to be a passenger, stormed on Zihad, forced him off the van, and stole the van before fleeing.
The matter came to the notice of police after the incident was published in local newspapers.
Chuadanga’s Superintendent of Police, Khondaker Golam Mawla, ordered to recover Zihad’s van. The task was assigned to the Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Anisuzzaman, Inspector (Operations) of Sadar Police Station Ali Hossain, and Sub-Inspector (SI) Hasanuzzaman.
After 14 days of relentless effort, police were able to arrest the van thief, Bokul Sheikh, from a village of Kumarkhali in Kushtia district on Wednesday. Upon interrogation, Bokul confessed to the snatching, then police recovered the van from his possession. Both Bokul and the van were brought back to Chuadanga on the day.
Tahazzal Mia filed a case at Chuadanga Sadar Police Station on the night and police arrested Bokul in connection with the case.
Today, Thursday, a Chuadanga Judicial Magistrate Court ordered Bokul to be sent to jail after police produced him before court.
In the afternoon, police returned the recovered van to Zihad.
Seriously smashed with emotion, the tiny Zihad, who had regained his strength to fight in the battle of life, couldn’t say much. Just wiping his tears with hands and left the police station and said, “Thank you, Police Sir.”