Sorrow, hardship, poverty and natural disasters—these four words are the daily companions of the life of the char dwellers. Floods come, houses are destroyed, crops are washed away. Then comes winter—silently, ruthlessly. In the northern towns, winter means a new war, and for the char dwellers, it is a fight for survival. The vast char area of ​​Sariakandi in Bogra and its surroundings. As far as the eye can see, sandy beaches and the icy wind cutting through the Yamuna.

What life is like for people in this hostile environment—cannot be believed without seeing it with your own eyes. In the severe winter, every house cries for warmth. This winter, the humanitarian organization Moonlight Development Society has stood by the char dwellers.

On a foggy Tuesday morning, winter blankets were handed over to the helpless people of Charbatia and some nearby chars on the banks of the Jamuna River in Sariakandi, Bogura. In addition, vegetable seeds were distributed and a tree sapling was given to each family with a view to the future.

Senior NGO personality and Chief Coordinator of the Rural Development Project Abu Hasnat Sayeed, Executive Member of Moonlight Development Society Manjurul Haque Tutu, Director of Rural Health Development Organization Shahin Islam Nayan, Director of Shildah Bari Social Development Organization Nazma Khatun, Moonlight Coordinator Johnny Islam and Nasheed Ahmed, as well as local dignitaries, were present at the blanket distribution program. Old woman Roshan Ara of Charbatia could not hold back her emotions after receiving the blanket.

He said, trembling, “The cold is very severe by the river. I can’t sleep properly at night. I am thanking God for this blanket.” Shafiqul Islam, a daily wage worker from the same area, said, “There is less work during the winter. I am struggling with my children at home. These blankets and seeds are a great help to us.”

Not only in the char areas, blankets were also distributed to the disabled and extremely poor people in the remote areas of Shildah Bari and Hatibandha villages of Gabtoli Upazila on the same day. This assistance brings some relief to people struggling with physical disabilities and poverty.

The organization said that in addition to providing immediate relief from the cold, seeds and tree seedlings were distributed to make people self-reliant—so that today’s assistance can become hope for the future.

Even amidst the icy winds of the Yamuna, this humanitarian initiative has ignited a light of warmth in the hearts of the Char residents, and has proven that humanity has not yet been lost.