Teenager robbed of sole family income as thieves steal breadwinning electric rickshaw in Jhenaidah

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A 15-year-old student in Jhenaidah’s Kotchandpur upazila is facing an uncertain future after his family’s sole source of income—an electric rickshaw—was stolen by assailants posing as passengers. Mishkat Hossain, a seventh-grade student at a local secondary school, had been operating the vehicle to support his mother since the death of his father, Abdul Jabbar, three months ago.

The incident occurred Saturday night when a group of individuals hired the teenager for a trip. Upon reaching a secluded field, the attackers assaulted Mishkat, bound him to a tree, and fled with the vehicle. The boy was discovered and rescued by passersby approximately an hour later.

According to a report by Prothom Alo, the loss has devastated the family, who reside in a small tin-roofed house on a three-decimal plot of land. Mishkat’s father had purchased the electric rickshaw, valued at approximately 150,000 taka, through a microfinance loan that remains unpaid. Following his father’s passing from heart disease, Mishkat balanced his education with driving the vehicle, typically earning 300 to 400 taka per day to sustain the household.

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Neighbors have expressed deep concern over the family’s plight, noting that the boy had shown remarkable resilience in maintaining his studies while shouldering the burden of supporting his mother. Residents of Talsar village are now calling for assistance to help the family navigate the financial crisis triggered by the robbery.

Local authorities have yet to receive a formal complaint regarding the theft. Saharuzzaman Sabuj, chairman of the local Kushna Union Parishad, stated that he was unaware of the incident but pledged to investigate and provide necessary support to the family. Similarly, Officer-in-Charge of the Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station, Md. Asaduzzaman, confirmed that no case had been filed but indicated that law enforcement would take appropriate legal action once a formal complaint is submitted.