160 children without families spend Eid joy in sorrow

M. Mubarak Hossain, Panchagarh 22 March 2026 : Ahsania Mission Shishu Nagari is located in the quiet environment of Jalapara village in Hafizabad union of Panchagarh Sadar upazila. There is quiet solitude all around, and the sound of children's laughter echoes inside. Currently, 160 orphans, street children and children without families have found shelter here - some of whom are lost, some abandoned, and some do not even know their home address.

Joy and regret coexist in the lives of these children as they celebrate the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Twelve-year-old Sagar Islam can still remember that house in Old Dhaka. He spent seven long years lost in the Kamalapur area as a child. Later, the child found shelter in the city through a social worker.

In Sagar's words, it feels good to come here. I get new clothes, perfume, and henna for Eid. 

The same story is told by 11-year-old Fahim. After going missing at the age of six, he could not find his family. His mother had already passed away, and he had been separated from his father since the day he lost him. Fahim says in an emotional voice, "I wanted to celebrate Eid with my family. But now, my family is my family. His memories still flash back to the difficult life of a street child - collecting bottles and irregular meals. But here he has found a new life - food, education and clothing are all free.

Eight-year-old Shukur Ali was also rescued from the station once. The joy of Eid outside was unfamiliar to him. Now he says, "Here they serve mehndi, the food is good - it feels great."

The story of 14-year-old Sajjadul Islam Baiji, who went missing from Chittagong to Dhaka, is also filled with sorrow.

My mother had gone to the store, I was walking around. Later, I saw that my mother was not there. His voice became heavy as he spoke. Even after three years, he could not forget his family. Like everyone else, I also want to celebrate Eid with my family, added Bayzid.

Imam Mahadi (14) went missing in 2019. He was subjected to various forms of abuse as a street child upon arriving in Dhaka. Later, with the help of the police, the child found shelter in the city.

Mahdi says, "I pray Eid prayers here, study here. Sir, they are my parents now." The story of seven-year-old Joynal is even more heartbreaking. He claims that his parents were killed by terrorists. After a long journey, this child finally finds a place in the city.

Social workers at Shishu Nagari said that efforts are being made to create a family environment for the 160 children living here so that they do not suffer from loneliness during Eid. The center manager of the organization said that this center, established in 2012, has been ensuring full provision of food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care for the children. Like every year, preparations for Eid have been made this year too, with new clothes, improved food and goats for meat as a special arrangement. Their goal is to bring smiles to the faces of these children without families and help them forget the hardships of life to some extent.