Dhaka Courier
Volume 24, Issue 26r
January 18, 2008

The common belief among the urbanites about life in the villages is not very flattering. After all, despite the fresh environment and an abundant supply of organic food, very few city people opt to stay in the rural areas. The point against the villages? The infrastructure is not yet capable of sustaining life that enjoys all the amenities and it's not free from bigoted ideas and prejudiced views. But, those who cling on to that image of the villages may soon have to amend their ideas because a wind of change is sweeping through the rural areas and, recently, this writer had the chance to visit an ideal village in Paikpara, Sirajganj. With the help of CARE' SHOUHARDO programme, Paikpara is now what one would call an excellent example of an Adarsha Gram or an ideal village worth replicating.

As this writer crossed a small dried river slicing the village from the mainland, the changes became apparent. The houses at Paikpara are orderly and each one has a garden in front of the house that is used for cultivating seasonal vegetables and fruits. 'It's not that the villagers did not know how to use the open spaces in the past, but the difference is that now they know how to use the spaces by applying techniques of space management,' remarked the local chairman, Mizanur Rahman. In fact, Mizanur is not the image of a typical chairman either.

Sporting cargo trousers, a snazzy jacket and glasses, he is more like a youth councilor. 'Well, I am that and much more,' he replies with a big grin and that is so infectious that the people around him cannot maintain a solemn look for long.

In truth, the chairman here has come out of the stereotyped shell to get to the heart of the people. As we walked along, he directed us to one of the three local shops run by women. 'We got financial help of around Tk1500 and, with that the shop began, but now, the total cost of the items in the shop will be around Tk6000,' commented Sharifun, the shop owner. Sharifun makes a profit of Tk50 to Tk100 every day and also won 40kg rice in the weekly mushtichaal (handful of rice) lottery. Now, what is that? 'Each day, during cooking, every woman of the EKATA women organisation keeps away one handful of rice, which by the end of the week turns into a small pot,' said Manimala Roy, Campaign Mobiliser, Advocacy unit, SHOUHARDO, CARE Bangladesh and added, 'all the members bring the rice to the weekly gathering and there is a lottery. The winning person gets the total rice accumulated and can either sell it or use it for her family.'

We are informed that once someone wins, her name is taken out of the lottery until all the persons get the chance to win the accumulated rice. 'For instance, today we are starting the first one this year with 85 members and once someone wins, her name will be taken off though she will continue to deposit the weekly amount. Like this, each week, a new name will be cut off and in the process, everyone will get a fair chance of winning,' informed Sharifun. Usually, the winner sells the rice and buys a goat or chickens as domestic animals.

The remarkable thing in Paikpara is that the whole arrangement of the houses and the gardens give an idea that there was meticulous prior planning. 'The improved methods of cultivating vegetables, the arrangement of rows and regular maintenance did not exist in the past,' commented Manimala and added, 'they followed a traditional system in the past but that lacked a scientific approach.'

Obviously, now their production has increased a lot. As we moved along, we found a few houses that have bee constructed following the CHD (Comprehensive Homestead Development) strategy. 'According to this, a home must have three essential components:

1. Vegetable production

2. Tree Management and

3. Poultry support.

But, Manimala informed that due to the fear of the outbreak of bird flu, goats are provided in the third component.

In Paikpara, there is a VDC (Village Development Committee) and the president of the body, Mujibur Rahman, while pointing out the list of development work also highlighted the main objectives of the VDC:

1.Freeing the village of dowry, child marriage, repression and poverty

2. Ensuring government and NGO help

3. Standing by the helpless

Mujibur Rahman also brought forward the example of Kajol, a 14-year-old girl whose marriage was stopped on the grounds that the girl was not old enough to get married.

In Paikpara there is a vociferous movement against the system of dowry and female education is greatly encouraged. In fact, the men of the village seem to be supporting wholeheartedly the idea of the emancipated woman. And, perhaps, that's why there are signs of peace everywhere. 'SHOUHARDO programme's initiatives have also taught us hygiene,' commented Shohagi, a member of the village wives group and, the spotless environ corroborated her statement. As the chairman was asked to pick the name of the winner of the mushtichaal lottery, he took off his shoes and sat with the village women sharing pleasantries. The kids played about, an elderly woman placed an earthen oven nearby and started selling winter delicacies and Paikpara seemed a distant cry from the commonly held rural image where poverty reigns and injustice is rampant.

Against the setting sun the village by the dried up winter river looked happy, its chairman happier. Maybe he will become an MP someday! 'I don't want to be an MP, I am satisfied the way I am and as long as the people are happy, I have nothing more to ask,' replies Mizanur Rahman and, on an enchanting winter afternoon those lines seemed magical and true but not mythical and apocryphal.