Volunteer orgs step up to save city, people
Since many government services stopped functioning after the the fall of the AL government, different voluntary and private organisations have come forward to fill the void
Tuesday morning was unlike any other day for the members of Give Bangladesh, a volunteer-based development organisation. While much of Dhaka city was still celebrating the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, they gathered at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban to clean up the mess created the previous day due to mob vandalism and looting.
In front of the parliament, they found several others who had also arrived with the same intention and began cleaning immediately. As the day progressed, more people started gathering, some with the intention of acquiring whatever was left in the parliament and Gonobhaban, the official residence of the country's Prime Minister.
They didn't give up their cleaning efforts, but they also took on the responsibility of controlling the situation. In the absence of proper law enforcement, they kept the crowd at bay, ensuring that no one entered the parliament compound to cause any further damage.
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However, the organisation's overall activities had begun much earlier.
As soon as the news of Hasina fleeing the country broke on Monday afternoon, almost the entire city took to the streets. During that time, Give Bangladesh members stayed at home and started compiling contact numbers of army personnel from every corner of the country. They then circulated this information online from their personal profiles.
"Because we knew that if anything untoward happened to anyone, they would need to contact the army for assistance," said Mohammad Saifullah Mithu, Co-Founder and President of the organisation.
"In Gulshan and the surrounding area, some security guard companies have also stepped forward to patrol the neighbourhoods, particularly at night when the risk of criminal activities increases."
Now, most of the posts you see online containing emergency contact information were curated by members of this organisation.
During this challenging period in the country over the past few days, when law and order appeared to have broken down, other volunteer organisations have also stepped forward to contribute.
On Wednesday afternoon, around 2.30 pm, members of another volunteer organisation called Youth for Bangladesh were seen directing traffic at the Dhanmondi 32 bus stop.
Among them was Mamun Hossain, a Class 9 student. Sweat was beading on his face, and he appeared tired from shouting at vehicles and pedestrians for the past three hours without a whistle. Despite this, he remained determined to continue his duties.
"I hope to work for another two hours," Mamun said with a broad smile on his face, adding, "It feels great to do something for the nation."
But our conversation was cut short, as he was soon reprimanded by one of his seniors "for chatting while on duty." So, he left unceremoniously, much akin to what Hasina had done on 5 August. He, however, resumed his work with even greater determination.
Several other members of the organisation were also present in front of the Bangabandhu Bhaban, which had been set on fire and looted throughout Tuesday night.
The road in front of the historical landmark had nearly been cleared, with some members—students from various universities—sweeping up the remaining debris and collecting it in bags.
On the streets of Dhaka, members of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society have also been actively present over the past few days. A member named Marjan, a Class 10 student who was wearing a full white uniform, was seen directing traffic in front of New Market along with others.
"I am not the only member of our organisation here. Some others are also standing nearby, ready to provide first aid to anyone who needs it," Marjan said before quickly rushing to stop a bike rider without a helmet. Notably, they had a zero-tolerance policy for anyone violating any sort of traffic rules.
Members of the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) are also on the streets, working alongside other organisations and students.
On Wednesday afternoon, some of them were guarding the main gate of Ganobhaban and several entry points of the parliament building.
"Military personnel are not covering all of the entry points, so we decided to take care of the rest of them ourselves," shared Siam Hasan, one of the BNCC members.
In Gulshan and the surrounding area, some security guard companies have also stepped forward to patrol the neighbourhoods, particularly at night when the risk of criminal activities increases.
One such agency is the Elite Force, which has been providing four patrol cars to the Gulshan-2 and Baridhara areas.
"We were contacted by the Gulshan Society to see if we could assist during this crisis period, and we agreed to volunteer. We have been patrolling from 8 pm to 6 am," said Major Md Mahbubul Alam (Retd), Director of Administration for the agency.
Securex is another agency that has been providing two patrol cars to Gulshan 1 and Niketan.
"We are patrolling, staying vigilant, and using our whistles to ensure that residents feel safe and secure," said Major Md Aftab Uddin (Retd), Senior Assistant Vice President and Head of Guard Services Operations at Securex.
