Chattogram DC provides financial assistance to people facing illness and hardship. Shefalika Nahar depends on others to walk. Born with impairments in both legs, she now also relies on their support to get by.

Her husband died in April. Her son is ill and unemployed, leaving the family without an earning member. Unable to afford her treatment, she attended the Chattogram deputy commissioner’s weekly public hearing on Wednesday, seeking Tk 20,000 in assistance.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian spoke to her personally, heard her difficulties and provided financial support.

She was among those who attended the October 28 hearing with appeals for help with medical bills and family expenses. Zahidul spoke individually with the applicants and provided immediate assistance.

Their circumstances differed, but many faced the same difficult question: how to pay for treatment when they could barely meet everyday needs.

Baul singer Nantu Debnath once supported his family with his earnings from music. Cancer treatment has since left them burdened with debt.

In his application, Nantu said a shortage of money had interrupted his treatment. He estimated that further care would cost Tk 15–20 lakh, beyond his family’s means.

Day labourer Md Sujon sought assistance for his son’s cancer treatment. He said he had borrowed money for two rounds of chemotherapy but could no longer afford further treatment.

Dilwara, a widow with four sons, also came seeking help for an ill child. One of her sons has an abdominal tumour, but financial hardship has prevented her from arranging treatment, according to her application.

For Mohammad Harunur Rashid, the struggle follows a long working life abroad. He spent 21 years in Oman, sending remittances home. Now back in Bangladesh, he is finding it difficult to pay for his heart treatment and his wife’s diabetes care.

His five-member household does not have enough income to cover both medical bills and daily expenses, he said in his application.

AKM Fazlul Hoque’s difficulties began with a road crash in 2013. Surgeons inserted a steel plate into his right leg. He now needs around Tk 60,000 to have it removed but cannot afford the procedure.

Unable to work because of his physical condition, he continues to live with pain, according to his application.

Parul Begum sought help for cataract surgery. Doctors have advised an operation and lens implantation, but the elderly woman, who survives by begging, cannot meet the expense. Her husband is also ill.

Monowara Begum came seeking assistance for her husband, whom she described as bedridden with an ulcer-related illness. Paying for his treatment while supporting their two children’s education and meeting household expenses has become increasingly difficult.

Degree second-year student Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain and Muhammad Dastagir Chandanpuri also sought help with medical expenses.

Rickshaw puller Nazmul Hoque brought a different concern. His younger sister’s wedding is scheduled for November 6, but his limited earnings leave little after household expenses. He sought assistance to meet the wedding costs.

By hearing each applicant personally, Zahidul gave them an opportunity to explain the circumstances behind their written appeals. His immediate assistance brought some relief, although the families’ needs extend beyond a single grant.

For Shefalika and others facing illness without the means to pay for care, the support offers help with expenses they have been struggling to meet.