Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, March 4, 2026 (BSS) - Fifty underprivileged families in Durgapur Upazila of Rajshahi have received iftar packages as part of a nationwide Ramadan initiative undertaken by As-Sunnah Foundation.

On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, the foundation launched a countrywide programme to distribute iftar items among 33,300 helpless and impoverished families. Under its mega project titled "Iftar Distribution 2026," the assistance was extended to selected beneficiaries in Durgapur.

The distribution at the local level was coordinated by Md. Sakibul Islam Sabbir, who represented the foundation in the upazila. 

To ensure transparency and reach the most deserving families, he conducted door-to-door visits to collect information and prepare a preliminary list of beneficiaries. The list was later submitted to the foundation's central office for verification and screening.

Following a thorough review process, a final list was approved, and the iftar packages were delivered to the selected families through courier service.

Each package, valued at Tk 1,000, contained essential and nutritious items for those observing the fast. The items included one kilogram of dates, two kilograms of chickpeas, two kilograms of lentils, one kilogram of puffed rice and one litre of soybean oil.

Sharing his field experience, Sabbir said the level of hardship he witnessed during the distribution was difficult to describe. He observed that several individuals who were once financially solvent are now living in distress due to family neglect and adverse circumstances.

He also recounted visiting a remote wetland-surrounded area where he delivered assistance to a destitute elderly man living alone in a small hut without electricity and with few neighbouring households. Such experiences, he said, offer a stark reminder of the realities faced by many vulnerable citizens.

Sabbir noted that Islamic scholar Ahmadullah has set an example through the establishment of the As-Sunnah Foundation.

Since 2021, the foundation has been implementing various poverty alleviation and welfare programmes across the country, including house construction, self-reliance initiatives, entrepreneur development projects, winter clothing distribution and rickshaw donations.