JHENIDAH, Jun 03: A total of 10 members of an insolvent family in Atlia village under Modhuhati union of Jhenidah Sadar have been suffering from vision problem for long and passing their days with great difficulty.
"Despite the eyesight problem of almost all members of the impoverished and helpless family, no government agencies or NGOs have ever come forward extending their helping hands'', said Nikber Hossain (29), a shopkeeper at Atlia Bazar and a close relative to the family.
Three sons of late Yasin Mollya Shahidul (67), Mofizul (56) and Monu Mia (45) are unfortunately widely known as 'kana' (blind) in the locality.
Their only sister Kulsum Begum who had also lost her eyesight died at the age of 67 two years ago.
Meanwhile, the three brothers with no land of their own to procure any livelihood from are passing subhuman life. Out of desperation sometimes they are found begging from here to there. They have been struggling to draw their painful existence ever since they had fell victim of vision problem years ago.
More importantly, their descendants are also destined to live an unhappy life resulting from their serious eyesight problem.
Shahidul has got three daughters. His second and their daughters Shahida (36) and Murshida (33) are passing their days painfully with the short sightedness they have inherited. But their elder sister has stayed divorced at her father's cottage following her long illness.
Mofidul has two sons and four daughters. Among them, two sisters are somehow struggling with eyesight problem.
Some men including Golam Rosul at Atlia Bazar said the family is so helpless that they could collect no money to go to see any doctor. Whenever, they visited any doctor in a town, they had to raise money from the villagers, though that was very scanty in amount.
Sakib (8), a grandson of Monu Mia and a student of the local primary school has also got his eyesight problem.
Recently Sakib was taken to Jashore with a little amount of money drawn from the children of the local primary school.
Md Waliar Rahman, health assistant posted under No. 2 ward of the union said, "The members of the family are affected by hereditary vision problem when they cross the age of 35."
Dr Abdul Halim, eye surgeon at the Jhenidah Eye Hospital, told this correspondent, "The family members have been suffering from eyesight problem genetically. Only proper examination of their eyes can determine whether they could be prevented from the untimely blindness."
reporter.fex@gmail.com