Dilruba Akter represented poor people through contesting in local government election

‘My dream is not small due to born in slum, Madam. It is my dream that one day I will stand beside the slum people. I observed and felt closely that poor people suffer a lot. My father is a poor person too. Hence, I understand and feel their hardship and sufferings closely’- tears roll down from her cheeks while saying Dilruba Akter. She is the president of Shuktara women group at Ralirmour in Mymensingh City. She is a steady and vivacious woman. Her home is at Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh. She was born in 1980 and 39 years old now. Her father Md. Abdul Khalek is a wage labor in profession and mother Mst. Jomila Khatun is housewife. She could not continue her education owing to appalling financial situation of her father. She was married off with Giasuddin Babu upon got through class X in 2004. Even though, her brothers and sisters could not able to continue study. Her father could not afford children’s educational cost bearing family burden. Hence, no one pursue study anymore. There is no such scarcity and hurdle in her family. Her husband- a chauffeur earns roughly good. She thinks that it is not enough just performing household chores. In that time she came to know about IED which does not provide financial support but give awareness support. She got involved with IED in 2011 and formed 20 members women group involving disadvantaged women. She actively takes part in each awareness meeting of the group. So, she received car driving training from Mymensingh City Corporation. Through the awareness meeting, she realized that she would contest in the election. It is the best way to come closer to the poor people, thinks Dilruba Akter. Her opportunity came in 2019 Mymensingh city corporation election. In this election, she contested as woman councilor at Ward no 31, 32 and 33 of Charkalibari election area. She got 4500 vote in the election and symbol was Jeep Car. She got highest votes in 3 centers out of 9 centers and could not pass from rest of 6 centers. Dilruba Akter said, `Madam, this time I could not able to win but I will contest again in next election. I will try to fulfill my dream.’ Other women have got inspiration by hearing her life story. In this way, she dreams to move forward in her life to represent poor people of the community.