Left Under a Tree at 95, Shamsul Haque Finds Shelter at His Eldest Son's Home After Administration Steps In

After the administration intervened, 95-year-old Shamsul Haque Molla of Kotalipara in Gopalganj has finally found shelter at his eldest son's home. On Wednesday morning (4 November), his eldest son Azizul Haque Molla took him into his own house. He also promised to look after his father until his death.

Shamsul Haque Molla is a resident of Uttar Hiran village in Kotalipara upazila. He has two sons and four daughters. However, allegations had arisen that in his old age he was not receiving proper care from his children.

According to local sources, a few years ago Shamsul Haque sold his own land to perform Hajj. At that time he divided the remaining land among his children. It is alleged that after the land and money were distributed, many of the children gradually stopped keeping in touch with him. Recently he had been staying at the home of his eldest daughter, Maya Begum.

On Tuesday morning (3 November), Maya Begum took her father to the homes of his two sons. But it is alleged that the two sons and their wives together turned the elderly Shamsul Haque out of the house. He was then kept under a tree beside the house. As the incident spread through the area, it sparked widespread discussion and criticism.

In this situation, Kotalipara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Saif-ul-Arefin summoned Shamsul Haque's two sons and four daughters to his office on Tuesday evening. After hearing everyone, he directed the children to take responsibility for their father. Following this, eldest son Azizul Haque Molla agreed to take responsibility for his father's maintenance.

Azizul Haque is a hawker by profession. His younger brother Reazul Molla works as a bus driver's assistant. Of Shamsul Haque's four daughters, three are married. The youngest daughter, Kazuli Begum, is physically disabled.

Shamsul Haque's second daughter Sabina Begum said the four sisters were each given 400,000 taka from the land sale money. The two brothers, on the other hand, were given eight kathas of land each along with cash. For this reason, she questioned why the responsibility of looking after their father should now fall on them.

Eldest daughter Maya Begum, on the other hand, said her husband is ill. Her physically disabled younger sister Kazuli also lives at her home. In this situation, she said, it is not possible for her to keep her father with her.

On taking his father into his home, Azizul Haque Molla said he brought his father to his own house after the UNO spoke. Saying that he had realised his mistake, he said his father would stay with him until his death.

The elderly Shamsul Haque also expressed satisfaction at finding shelter at his eldest son's home. He said he is happy that he has found shelter at his eldest son's house, and that he wants to stay there until his death.

On the matter, UNO Saif-ul-Arefin said that after learning of the incident he called Shamsul Haque's children to his office, heard what they had to say, and directed them to take responsibility for their father. He also said that if the children had not agreed to take responsibility, action would have been taken under the Parents' Maintenance Act.