Bashundhara Group stands by poor ailing children

Six-year-old Fatema Akter is very happy now thinking that she can go to school again. After undergoing treatment for her heart problems for 15 days at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital, she will be released today, reports banglanews24.com. Bashundhara Group, the leading business conglomerate of the country, came in aid of ailing Fatema and provided financial support for her treatment. After her successful heart surgery at the hospital, Fatema is now doing fine, thanks to Bashundhara Group. After her heart operation, Fatema was brought to Room No. 4033 of cardiology department of Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital in the capital. “I will go to school again. I will play with everybody again. My school’s name is Green Leaf International,” an all smile Fatema said. Thirty-five days after her birth, Fatema was diagnosed with heart problems. Doctors first thought that Fatema is attacked with pneumonia, but later she was diagnosed with a heart disease. The doctors told her poor parents that Fatema needs to undergo heart operation to save her life, but it was not possible for them to bear the treatment cost. Fatema’s father Yunus Mia is a vegetables trader and her mother Nazma Begum works at a non-government organisation. They live at Mirpur-14 in the capital. Yunus said, “I went to many places in the last six years. At that time, the doctors said Fatema will need operation involving around Tk 3 lakh after she grows up a little. I had been collecting money for the operation since then. But it was not possible to collect this huge amount of money. So, we sought help from many well-off persons, but in vain.” Fatema’s mother Nazma said, “During the last four months, Fatema’s condition was deteriorating. She could not walk, or even sit. One of our neighbours told us to go to Bashundhara Group. On his advice, we applied for help to Bashundhara Group. In response, Bashundhara Group Chairman has taken the responsibility to bear the treatment cost. We are grateful to him.” Not only Fatema, Bashundhara Group has also taken the responsibility to bear the cost of treatment for ailing Shakiluzzaman, 2, and Lipi Akter, 16. Shakiluzzaman and Lipi are also suffering from heart diseases and they need to undergo heart surgery. Shakil is undergoing treatment at Echo department of the hospital. The on-duty doctor was conducting his echocardiogram. His mother Tahupa Begum was sitting beside him. Tahupa Begum said, “Shakil was diagnosed with heart disease 28 days after his birth. His father Mintu Mollah was a day-labourer. It was not at all possible for him to bear the treatment cost.” Following an advice of a fellow villager, Tahupa and Mintu came to Dhaka with Tk 7000 borrowed from their relatives. “We gave an advertisement on a newspaper, asking for financial help. The following day, we received a phone call from Bashundhara Group. They said they would bear the cost of treatment of their son.” Tahupa said, “It was quite impossible for us to come to this hospital and get treatment of our son if Bashundhara did not come forward to help us.” Lipi Akter was lying on a bed of pediatric department. She hails from Itna thana in Kishoreganj. Her parents, Khalil Mia and Sufia Khatun, were sitting beside her. Lipi had to discontinue her study after Class-X due to her heart disease. Her disease was diagnosed two years ago. Doctors said she needs to undergo operation. But it was quite impossible for vegetables trader Khalil to manage the operation cost. Lipi is the seventh among their eight daughters. Khalil happened to meet a journalist while selling vegetables. The journalist told Khalil about Bashundhara Group and took him to Bashundhara Group office. “After hearing details, Bashundhara Group took the responsibility to bear the treatment cost of my daughter,” Khalil said. “We are very grateful to Bashundhara Group for saving the life of our daughter,” he added.