Organised gangs active in begging

Several organised gangs are active in Dhaka city to earn money by forcing the physically challenged poor men and women to take to begging on the streets of the capital.
The leaders of these gangs take away bulk of the money earned by the beggars defying scorching heat of summer, braving blinding rainfall and ignoring chilling cold of winter. A beggar on an average earns at least 100 per day. On special occasions, their day’s earnings soar to more than Tk 500.But he or she is given only Tk 30 plus food by the gang leader. A beggar is deprived of food if his/her income is not to the satisfaction of the gang leader on a particular day, according to some cheated beggars.
Though begging has been prohibited by law and is punishable by one month in jail for its violation, this practice is still rampant at Farmgate, Gulistan, Gulshan, Uttara, Shahbagh, airport and Bijoy Sharione areas in the capital. Beggars are also seen in great number around the Sonargaon and Sheraton hotels.
Allegations have it that the gang leaders cripple able-bodied poor men and women only to engage them in begging for their personal benefits.
The police have launched a crackdown on beggars last month to eliminate begging from the capital.
The police arrested three gang leaders including a woman last week for running begging business. Eight hapless beggars were also rescued from the clutches of the organized gangs, which forced them to beg on the streets of Dhaka.
Ban on begging was imposed during the tenure of the caretaker government. The then government put a target to eliminate this curse from the country in five years. But the step evoked mixed reactions from different quarters. Welfare groups termed the legislation on begging too draconian and harsh and pointed out that it ignored the poverty that causes begging.
Some others said ban on begging without making alternative arrangement for the survival of the have nots will be a futile exercise.40 percent of total 144 million population in this country live below the poverty line and they survive with an income of one dollar a day, they argued.

Courtesy of The New Nation