For Marginalized Communities, Eid Brings No Homecoming
Photo Collected
As the bustling streets of Dhaka empty out during major holidays, a quiet, different reality unfolds behind the walls of the Rahmat-e-Alam Islam Mission orphanage in Tejgaon. For the nearly 500 girls residing in the five-story facility, the festive season does not signify a return to family or home, but rather a continuation of life within the communal shelter operated by the Ministry of Social Welfare.
The children living at the orphanage are united by a shared lack of familial stability. While some have lost their parents, others are the children of families struggling with extreme poverty or homelessness. For these residents, the mission serves as their only permanent address, providing not just shelter, but a path toward education and future independence.
Thirteen-year-old Mim Akter, a fifth-grade student, has called the orphanage home since she was left behind by her mother. Similarly, 18-year-old Jerin Sultana resides there with her two sisters because their parents cannot afford the financial burden of supporting them at home, even during the holidays. Like many of her peers, Jerin dreams of becoming a teacher, while others, such as seven-year-old first-grader Mobashira, aspire to become doctors despite the isolation of spending festivals within the orphanage walls.
According to hall supervisor Khadija Khatun, the facility serves as a gateway to opportunity. Many former residents have gone on to become professionals, including doctors and educators, some of whom return to support the younger generation or fund the education of those without any surviving family. The orphanage relies on a combination of government grants and donations from the public, particularly during Eid-ul-Adha, when wealthy benefactors often provide livestock for sacrifice, ensuring the residents are well-fed during the holidays.
Despite these efforts, the emotional toll of isolation remains palpable. While the girls receive new clothes and special meals during festivals, the desire to experience the world outside the mission’s gates remains unfulfilled. Khatun, who is herself a product of the institution, notes that the girls possess a profound yearning to travel and see the world, yet security concerns and a lack of familial guardianship leave them confined to the orphanage.
For these children, the holiday is a bittersweet experience—a day marked by communal joy and special meals, yet defined by the absence of the traditional family structure. As they navigate their youth within these institutional walls, their eyes reflect a complex blend of curiosity, resilience, and the quiet weight of unfulfilled dreams.
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