Osmaninagar Correspondent:: “I used to live in other people’s houses and earn a living through day labor. Never in my life did I imagine owning a piece of land or a home of my own. But by the will of Allah and with the help of my expatriate brothers, today I am the owner of a homestead and house. I can’t express this joy in words.” These were the words of Kona Mia, the new house owner supported by the expatriate organization ‘Friends Foundation International.’
The new house was officially handed over on Friday afternoon. The house handover event was presided over by local UP member Delwar Hossain and conducted by teacher and journalist Md. Anwar Hossain. The chief guest at the event was Samsul Haque, head teacher of Goalabazar Adarsha High School.
Speakers at the event included President of Osmaninagar Cultural Centre Rezwanur Rahman Chowdhury, Upazila Social Welfare Officer Moshiur Rahman, Secretary of Osmaninagar Islamic Social Welfare Council Nurul Islam Shajan, rural health practitioner Sebul Mia, businessman Ajit Kumar Dev, social workers Sebul Mia, Syed Jewel Ahmed, Akhtar Hossain, among others. The prayer session was conducted by Hafiz Abdul Kadir.
It is known that Kona Mia from Jahirpur village had no land of his own and was living in others’ homes with his wife and one son while doing day labor. Upon learning of his situation, Friends Foundation International took the initiative to build him a home. When some land was needed for the house, local Haji Suba Mia donated a piece of land to Kona Mia. The organization then built a tin-roofed, permanent house on the donated land. Additionally, a deep tube well was installed by the initiative of the organization’s member Sanaur Ali to ensure clean water for Kona Mia and surrounding families.
Member of the organization Sanaur Ali said, “Many of us who studied at Mongolchondi Nishikanta High School now reside in the UK and USA. With the aim of implementing social development activities, we established this organization in 2019. So far, six houses have been built. Besides that, financial aid has been provided to educational institutions and orphanages, and for medical treatment and marriages.”
Friends Foundation International was established in 2019. The organization was formed by a group of former students of the 1990 SSC batch from Tajpur Mongolchondi Nishikanta High School in Osmaninagar, now residing in the UK and USA. Since its inception, the organization has gifted newly built homes to six families. In addition, they have extended financial support to various educational institutions and provided funds for medical treatments. According to the founders, each house cost between 500,000 to 600,000 BDT to build.
Among the organization’s contributors are: Md. Soheb Ahmed from Vadera village (UK), Md. Dilal Mia from Rautkhai village, Md. Hiron Mia from Dighar Gayaspur, Md. Harun Rashid from Mollapara, Md. Minar Abdin from Ilashpur,
Syed Imran Ahmed from Usmanpur, Md. Sanaur Ali from Gramtola, Syed Saiful Islam from Usmanpur, Md. Fakhrul Chowdhury from Lamapara, Shah Apafat-ur-Rahman from Pachpara, Md. Abdul Malik from Dashhal, Md. Abdus Shahid from Kaminikandi, Md. Shahed Mia Sofa from Goalabazar, Md. Sakhawat Hossain Livlu from Ilashpur, lMd. Abdul Hakim Jilu from Rautkhai, Md. Helim Chowdhury from Goalabazar (USA), Md. Hakim Badsha from Durajpur, and Shaheda Nazma Runi from Pachpara.
