Princh Mondal Olif, Bagerhat Correspondent:

Battling poverty, illness, and endless uncertainty, an impoverished mother continues her daily struggle for survival. With no cattle in the shed and no money in hand, she knows one thing clearly—if she does not plant rice seedlings now, her family may starve for the rest of the year. That harsh reality has forced her to lift the plough onto her own shoulders.

The 45-year-old woman from Umojuri village of Char Baniari Union in Chitalmari upazila has taken her two teenage sons with her to cultivate one bigha of land. Despite physical exhaustion, hunger, and despair, she clings to a single hope—that a harvest will at least ensure food for the year.

Speaking with tears in her eyes, she said, “There is no cow, no money. But if I don’t cultivate the land, how will we survive? That’s why I took the plough with my sons. People say suffering leads to happiness, but only God knows if happiness exists in my life.”

She added, “If there was any happiness, would a mother have to plough fields with her young sons? Their father has been ill for a long time. My two sons—Sudhangshu Barai (18) and Sajal Barai (15)—study at Charbaniari Model Secondary School. But poverty makes continuing their education extremely difficult.”

Her voice trembles as she seeks help. “If someone helps us even a little, I can somehow save my family and my children’s education. I will remain grateful forever.”

On Saturday afternoon (December 27), she shared her heartbreaking story with a correspondent of Amar Desh, choosing not to reveal her name.

Local resident Kamalesh Chakraborty said, “We are proud of this family, yet it also questions our conscience. Many times, they cannot even manage the cost required to cultivate one bigha of land. Still, their two sons continue their education. This family deserves our collective support.”

This mother’s struggle is not just one family’s story—it reflects the silent tears of countless mothers across rural Bangladesh.