If one is in school dress and has Tk 5 then afternoon lunch is available at the Annapurna Hotel in Rajhashi’s Bagha Upazila.
Biplab Sarkar, the owner of the hotel, has been giving this privilege to students for the last three years.
Biplab could not go beyond class eight since a weak financial condition compelled him to get involved in the restaurant business.
The Arani Monomohini High School is near his restaurant and he used to see that many students came to school without afternoon tiffin.
He also found that some developed the habit of eating unhealthy food.
So, out of a sense of moral responsibility, he started the package food selling system. It’s found that during tiffin, around 70-80 students eat here under the Tk 5 package system.
The menu offers, rice, lentils, vegetables and grounded items or bharta.
Sometimes, meat is also included. But the condition to avail of this system is that a student must come in school uniform.
Biplab says: “I saw many people eating unhealthy food like singara and therefore, decided to offer freshly made hot food.”
Biplab’s father, Shyamol said: “In the beginning I castigated my son but now realise that everything cannot be measured in terms of profit and loss.”
I am proud of my son’s achievement, he said and added: “There are many students here who could not get proper food due to poverty and now they can eat well and concentrate on their education.”
Headmaster of the school, Sanjay Kumar Das, says: “This is a praiseworthy effort by Biplab and we welcome it.”