The Corona fighter of Dashmina

When there had been many incidents of people deserting their loved ones suffering from Covid infection, a man in Patuakhali's Dashmina upazila town made it his mission to create awareness on the disease by going to houses of Covid patients.

Everyone's beloved Pabel Mahmud Raihan alias Raihan Badol, 45, works at a private firm and also a volunteer of the government's Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP).

After Jayanto Kumar Mandol, a teacher by profession, and his wife Ira Rani Mandol got infected with Covid-19, Raihan went to their house every day during their isolation to check on them and to provide encouragement.

On way to a patient's house, Raihan uses his megaphone to announce different health awareness messages for others in the locality.  

Homemaker Asma Begum, 35, was dismayed when she tested positive for Covid-19 on 14 July. She was worried about how she would protect the rest of her family members -- her husband, a day labourer, and their two children -- from the highly contagious disease.

No sooner had the news of her illness spread than Raihan arrived at their house with all the information she needed. Raihan explained her about the types of food she would need to ensure nutrition and the dos and don'ts during isolation. He also spoke with Asma's neighbours and explained how to eat healthy, keep fit and stop the spread of the virus.

Asma was later free from Covid and got out of her two weeks' isolation. None of her neighbours contracted the disease as they properly followed Raihan's precautionary tips.

This is how Raihan has been saving lives by roaming around the town and conducting Covid awareness campaign with his megaphone from the morning till the evening.

Asma said, "I was psychologically down after I got Covid. Raihan stopped by every day to make sure we were okay. Thanks to his awareness messages, I am now cured and my family members are no longer scared of the disease."

"We were kind of ostracised when others found out that we caught Covid. No one came to us and we couldn't go to anyone either. But Raihan didn't let us feel that we were alone. Besides checking on us, he provided us encouragement and mental support," said Jayanto Kumar Mandol.

His wife Ira Rani Mandol said, "We can never forget the services we received from Raihan."

Gazi Shahid, a prominent lawyer in Dashmina, said locals appreciate Raihan's work during the Covid situation.

He is a true humanitarian as he has always been there for the locals during any natural disaster as a CPP volunteer, he added.

His compatriot Masud Rana Miraj said he feels honoured to be able to work alongside Raihan, a kind-hearted man, whose dedication to humanitarian work is unparalleled.

Raihan Badol has been promoting human welfare for 17 years. In 2018, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief acknowledged his special contributions by honouring him with an accolade.