PM takes responsibility for treatment of visually impaired Lily

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today took responsibility for treatment of an Ashrayan project beneficiary in the upazila here, who became blind abruptly more than seven year ago.

Lily Begum, the blind woman, told her tragic tale to the Prime Minister while she (Sheikh Hasina) was virtually handing over houses to the beneficiaries at Chakla Ashrayan Project under the Ashrayan-2 Project here this morning.

The Prime Minister was connected with Bera upazila through a video conferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka.

In an interaction after receiving the documents of the ownership of two decimals of land with a semi pucca house, Lily said that seven years ago she suddenly became blind and her husband left her along with a seven-month-old son.

“I am now living with my son. My father sold out everything for my treatment,” she told the Prime Minister with an emotion choked voice.

Lily said that she and her family used to live in others house.

“I never thought that we would ever have our own house. You (Sheikh Hasina) gave me my dream pucca home with electricity, water and sanitation system. No one would ever give this to us without you,” she praised the Prime Minister for her initiative to provide land and home for every landless and homeless people of the country.

“I am along with my child and parents now living in the palace that you gave us and we are very much happy, we do not have any difficulties now,” Lily said.

She mentioned that her son called this house as her mother’s house.

“You have fulfilled the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, you are our pride. You may live for hundred years and return repeatedly to us as our Prime Minister,” she said.

She recalled that while her son’s age was seven months she became visually impaired and the age of her son is eight years now and he is going to school.

At that time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked: “Where did you take the treatment for your eyes?”

Lily replied that she took the last treatment for her eyes from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital.

“But I could not take further treatment due to the coronavirus pandemic, financial crisis and orthopaedic problem in my knee joint.”

The Prime Minister said: “It would have been better to see physician in the National Ophthalmology Institute.”

At this point deputy commissioner of Pabna M Asaduzzaman assured the Prime Minister that they would take necessary steps to this end.

Surprised Lily Begum thanked the Prime Minister for taking over the responsibilities to provide her treatment for her eyes like her parents.

“We will arrange treatment for you…We will try,” the Prime Minister assured Lily Begum. (BSS)