Boss/Madam, Baksheesh!

There is nothing harder on your morale here in Bangladesh then the daily sight   of beggars on the streets. Most of them wait in traffic for their moment. Women with babies, small kids, elderly men and women come knocking on the car window during a lengthy traffic jam asking for money, usually by making a feeding gesture with their hands towards their mouth - universal sign for hunger. While there is no denying that these people are money poor, we have advised not to give money as it further encourages them to beg. Apparently there are orphan beggar kids who are forced to give their daily takings to their "pimp". Even babies get borrowed to support begging as it looks more dramatic and is more likely to make westerners feel compassion and guilt, thus increasing a chance of donation.

Beggars are found in the villages, in towns and cities. Mainly they gather on Friday near the mosques in the towns, bus stand, railway stations, in front of markets, and in the traffic signals. Most of the beggars are unable bodied. Some are blind or are missing an arm or a leg. At the bus stand, market place and in the traffic signals old beggars and beggar children stretch their hands for taka (money).

Bangladesh is a Muslim society and there are Islamic values that encourage the people to give alms to the beggars. “If a beggar comes to beg on horse back he should not be avoided.” The Muslims offer their food grains to the beggars at first before eating the new food of the new seasons. They offer money or rice to the beggars for the purpose of gaining good benefit of business. The Muslims also offer new fruits of new trees to the beggars. After the death of any relative the Muslims entertain beggars to get blessings from Allah.

 There is a 2005 study that estimated that at the time there were 700,000 beggars in the country. I would not be surprised to find out that the number has doubled in the last six years.

This creates many ethical problems. You want to help people who really need it but you don't want to perpetuate a system of oppression such as that run by the overlords. It is truly disheartening. We've been here three months now and it does not get any easier to deal with.