By: AswathyP
A 9-year-old Bangladeshi boy has got a new lease of life after a successful heart surgery in Tamil Nadu amid the COVID-19 lockdown with the help of an Indian who was friends with his uncle in Oman where they worked together.
Not only did N Rajasekar help in arranging funds for the surgery for Mohammed Arif, son of poor farm labourers from Chattogram, he also gave shelter and food to the family members for nearly three months in view of COVID-19 lockdown after they were stranded in Vedaranyam near here.
During Ramzan month, he made arrangements for their fasting, with his gesture drawing praise on the social media. “Earlier, my son couldn’t even walk for a few meters. Now, he has become normal like other children. We enjoyed the hospitality of Rajasekar’s family,” Mohsina Begum, mother of Arif, told reporters.
The boy underwent the surgery at a hospital in Coimbatore on May 16 and has since then recovered well and would be returning to Bangladesh once flight services resume to the neighbouring country, she said. Arif had been suffering from a congenital heart defect and required a surgery.
Since his parents were poor agricultural labourers, his maternal uncle Abdul Raheem, working in Oman, had sought the help of Rajasekar and he readily agreed to mobilise resources and arrange for the surgery.
Rajasekar, who had also worked in Oman, approached local industrialist Sultanul Arifa, who extended financial assistance for the surgery while others including social activist Rahmatullah and Deputy Superintendent of Police A.
Safiyullah also chipped in. The DSP helped in arranging logistics, including e-pass for travel to Coimbatore during the lockdown. “We can never forget the timely help of Rajasekar, Sultanul Arifa and others,” Begum said. Rajasekar’s humanitarian gesture has gone viral on social media with many appreciating him for the timely help to a family belonging to a different religion and from another country.
