Assignment 2

Act- 341
Name: Md. Johirul Islam
Id: 1320407030
Faculty: Ahu
Section:

The process of working on my first research paper is quite long and arduous and it is
certainly not done single handedly. In the accomplishment of this research successfully many
people have been best owned upon me their blessings and heart pledged support, and this
time I am utilizing to thank all the people who have been concerned with this research.
At first and foremost I want to express my sincere gratitude and the warmest appreciation my
respectful faculty, Mrs.Deena Forkan (DF) for responding to all my needs and queries with
all her patience and without whom it was quite an impossible to complete this research report
successfully. In the beginning I got nervous to have the research work for the first time but
her well arrangement of the home assignments related to research paper has made the
completion of the whole research very easy within time.
I am also grateful to my other fellow mates in class and my other respondents whose support
instigated me greatly to carry on with the report and people who gave their time to fill out the
questionnaire by sharing their views. Lastly, this is also dedicated to my parents, who
contributed their assistance and utmost cooperation in various phases of completion of this
research.
Thus my sincere appreciation to the anonymous referees for their useful suggestions to
complete the research report in every possible way.

Abstract
Beggars are part of daily life in Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka. They are on every street,
present beggars may fall into three categories 1. The real poor people victimizing by poverty
or any accidents. 2. The fraud beggars who deceive people by pretending cripple or disable.
3. The beggars who are compelled to beg and are the victim of disfiguration of their body for
earning more money for the mafia groups. A vested syndicate is involved in this heinous
activity. Even now the real beggars are being deprived of the help they need. On the other
hand category 2 and 3 are creating syndication of the concept of beggary. Both of the
groups have made it a commercial business and general people are deceived everyday by
them. Millions of dollars of general people are accumulated to their hand every year. This
syndication not only includes deceiving people but also the abduction of thousands of
children or poor people every year from the countryside for disfiguring them barbarically and
forcing them to beg on commission of salary basis. The research attempts to investigate the
malicious business at the back of begging in Bangladesh. This paper also tried to identify the
masterminds who are engaged with this ruthless trade. At the end it suggested some
initiatives to tackle the beggars mafia and the fraud beggars. Overall it describes the
importance of this issue to be handled by government and the necessity of enforcing strict
laws against this syndication.

Table of Content
3

5
Introduction
6
Research Areas
Hypothesis

7
7

Methodology
Data Presentation & Analysis

25
Summary of Research Findings
27
Recommendation
28
Conclusion
28
Limitation
Reference

29

Introduction
Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is a city of 12 million people and worlds 11th most
populated city and expected to reach 20 million to be the worlds 3rd largest city (World
Bank 2006). Because of having centralized administrative system, hundreds and thousands of
people, apart from rural migrants, do visit this city on daily basis and introduce this city as
4

megacity to the world. Among many problems of this over populated city, people living in
this city are irritated facing the street beggars, who are believed to be more than 300,000 in
rural areas of Bangladesh and 100,000 only in Dhaka city. Out of these vast population of
beggars a great portion were abducted and maimed when they were young. Their job is only
to solicit pity and beg from people. At the end of the day many of these beggars have to hand
all the alms and charities they have earned from kind people to the beggar mafia leaders in
exchange of a shelter or morsels of stale food or perhaps for free drugs and alcohols. In the
past begging used to be the reflection of the poverty of the poor. But today begging is like a
business and truly its a profitable business. Now many people are forced to beg and some are
willingly to beg even they are ably to earn money and some people are forced to beg.

Research Areas
Q1.Who are the main victims of beggar syndication?
Ans: Poor & homeless people are the main victim of beggar syndication. And among them a
significant amount is children. They do not only recruit the poor, but also targets disabled
people such as blind, deaf and cripple.
Q2.Who are involved in this syndication process?
5

Ans: Researchers found that there is a strong mafia behind the beggars. This mafia groups are
powered by some corrupted political leaders and underworld power having syndicated link
with their Indian counter parts for cross-border trading of abducted and maiming children and
adults. And a large number of beggars who are able to gain solvency, they have taken begging
as their profession to earn easy money.
Q3.What is the mechanism of this syndication process?
Ans: The executors intentionally impair healthy children in various cruel methods and forced
them to get into beggary. They know that the more a child is tortured and tormented the more
unfortunate s/he would look. Beggars are trained to learn how to choose the most appropriate
place to begin, the kind of people to approach and the kind of mannerism to mimic to make
people sympathize.
Q4.What kind of action government is taking against this cruel activity?
Ans: Government has some legal provision to protect forced begging. And government is
trying to minimize the number of professional beggars of the Dhaka.

Hypothesis:
In the past the people who used to beg were really the victims of poverty. Now many people
are willingly beg even they are able to earn money and pretend to be disabled to arouse more
sympathy. Apart from this, a significant amount of beggar population is forced to beg or is
deformed to beg. A vested syndicate is involved in this heinous activity. Beggary is now
emerged as a commercial business worth multimillion dollar in this country as mostly the

general public believes that inability of authorities concerned to control beggars reflects that
there is a strong mafia behind the beggars. Mainly these two factors are giving a raise to the
syndication as government is not paying enough attention to the issue.

Government needs to identify the victims and, also should take necessary steps to prevent this
kind of bagger syndication. My research paper will suggest some recommendation to the
problem after analyzing the required data and the importance of bringing the issue in light for
the well fare of the country and unveiling the huge racket behind this syndication.

Methodology
Methodology is the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within
a discipline or a particular procedure or set of procedures. It consists of both primary and
secondary data. For this research I have used two kind of method. One is primary and
secondary data.

Primary data: In primary method I have conducted a survey which had a sample size of
thirty. This survey has been conducted on the students of North South University, my
relatives and neighbours. My target group was age between15 to 60. For primary data; I met
the respondents and provided them with questionnaires to collect appropriate information
about my queries. The questionnaire that was used to carry out the research work had 14
questions in total and I have made analysis of 10 questions for proving my hypothesis.

Secondary data: Secondary data is data that has already been collected by someone
else for a different purpose and is available to outside users. For secondary data I have
browsed the internet and used search engines like Google and Yahoo! Search. I followed
several links to various websites that had information about the beggar syndication
7

mechanism. Due to convenience and abundance of information on the Internet, I did not
extend my secondary research to any other sources. All the web-addresses are mentioned in
the references list.

Primary Data Presentation and Analysis

This study is mainly focused on the increase of beggar syndication, its mechanisms and
effects in our country. Based on the findings of factual and influential factors, I tried to
predict the intensity of this heinous crime in Bangladesh and governments position regarding
it. This section mostly highlights my major findings through a survey for which it has been
possible to prove whether my hypothesis is correct or not.

Target Group: General People

Age Group : 15 to 60
Sample Size of the Survey : 30

Ques-1: What is the current situation regarding the number of beggars in our country?

Respondents

Percentage

21

70%

B) Few in number in Dhaka city.

0%

C) Increasing in number in rural areas

26.67%

D) Most of the beggars live in urban

3.33%

A) Very high in number in Dhaka and

still increasing.

areas.
8

DATA PRESENTATION:
Figure-1:

70%
0%

27%

3%

Series 3

ANALYSYS:
Here we can see that, 70% people think that there is a significant number of beggars in Dhaka
and it is increasing day by day as it is the most crowdie city where begging business is
profitable. 26.67% people said that the number of beggars is increasing only in rural areas
because beggars target rural commercial areas so that they can gather near mosques, bus
stations, markets etc. according to the statistics 0% said that there are few beggars in Dhaka.
Only 3.33% people think that most of the beggars live in urban areas.
So, according to the overall graph it can be said that a large number of beggars dwell in
Dhaka city and it is increasing day by day because beggars find the city most profitable for
begging.
9

Ques-2: Why do generally you give money to the beggars?

A) I feel so sympathetic for the

Respondents

Percentage

11

36.67%

15

50%

6.67%

3.33%

homeless old beggars

B) I give humanitarian aid to the
disabled.
C) I have to because the beggars do not
let go most of the time.
D) I dont give alms often because most
of them seems liars to me.

Data Presentation:

Chart Title
50%
37%
7%

3%

Column2

ANALYSIS:
10

This question indicates the reasons through which beggar can influence people to give more
alms and it is found that 50% of people give money to disabled people as humanitarian aid.
Thats why this syndication is more involved in deforming and maiming poor beggars and
children. Another 36.67% of people show their sympathy to the homeless old beggars by
giving more alms. Then 6.67% people is compelled to give alms out of irritation because
most of the beggars, especially children do not let them go. Most of the beggars seem liar to
3.33% people so they do not provide money usually to the beggars. So, analyzing the overall
graph it is found that most of the people got sympathized to the disabled beggars and give
more money thinking this as humanitarian work. Probably this is the most beneficial factor to
the syndicated group.

Ques-3 Have you heard about beggar syndication problem of our country?
Respondents

Percentage

28

90%

7%

C) No, I do not have any idea.

0%

D) No, it may not be a big issue for

3%

A) Yes, it is a very serious issue at

present
B) Yes, but I dont know much about
the issue.

Bangladesh.

11

How many people know about it &their opinon towards it

Yes, it is a very serious
issue at present

7%

Yes, but I dont know much

about the issue
No, I do not have any
idea.
No, it may not be a big
issue for Bangladesh..
90%

ANALYSIS:
According to pie chart, a huge portion (90%) of general people knows about the beggar
syndication crime and considers it is a very serious issue of the country.7% people heard
about the issue but do not know much regarding the crime. only 3% people said that they
have not heard about it because it may not be a serious issue for our country.
Ques.4: Who are the main victims of this beggar syndication?
Respondents

Percentage

A) Kidnapped children

13%

B) Poor and homeless adult.

10%

C) Poor-homeless and kidnapped

15

50%

23%

children
D) Infants are brought from poor

12

families or stolen to make disable.

The main victims

13%

10%

50%
23%

Column1

Data Presentation:

ANALYSIS:
According to the graph I found that according to 50% of general people poor-homeless and
kidnapped children are the main victim of this syndication probably because they can be
easily forced to beg through psychological and physical coercion. Another 23% of people
said that infant are the main victim because now a-days begging with deformed infant is
new and easy trick to persuade people to give more money .only 13% and 10% of people
separately said kidnapped children and poor-homeless adults as the main victim.
It means that poor-homeless and kidnapped children as well as infants are highly targeted to
spread this begging syndication crime.
13

Ques-5: who are involved in this crime according to your assumption?

Respondents

Percentage

A) Local criminals

3%

B) Local criminals with political powers

7%

C) Local criminals with political or

27

90%

0%

underworld powers & beggars

themselves
D) Others.

Data Presentation:

The involvement of specific group in this crime

90%

the invovement of specific

group in this crime

3%

7%
0%

14

ANALYSIS:
In response to the question of the specific groups involvement in this crime, a high
percentage of 90% people assumed that local criminals with political and underworld power
and beggars themselves are mainly involved in this crime. probably because without strong
political power rapidly spread of this syndication would not be possible and also the beggar
themselves are main culprits because most of poor people who are able to earn money by
work, they choose this profession as easy the way of earnings by deceiving general people
with many needy causes. Then a minor percentage of 7% and 3% respectively said local
criminals and local criminal with political powers.
So according to the majority of people local criminals with political powers and beggars
themselves are the main specific groups behind running this syndication crime.
Ques-6: What is the governments position regarding this problem?
Data presentation:

15

A) Very active position to reduce this

Respondents

Percentage

0%

10

33%

0%

20

67%

crime.
B) Syndication is not in under

control for neglecting the issue.

C) Enforcement of strong law against

this crime.
D) Authoritys inability to control

this syndicate is the reflection of

strong mafia involvement behind
this syndication.

16

Government's position regarding the problem

Very active position to reduce

this crime.
33%

Syndication is not in under

control for neglecting the
issue.
Enforcement of strong law
against this crime.

67%

Authoritys inability to control

this syndicate is the reflection
of strong mafia involvement
behind this syndication.

ANALYSIS: According to the graph, 67% of people think that authoritys inability to
control this syndicate reflects that there is strong mafia involvement with political power
behind this syndication. And 33% people said government is neglecting the issue and thats
why this syndication is not under the lime light and is not even under controlled.

Ques-7: what are the reasons you think behind the increase of this syndication in
Bangladesh?

A) Commercial business for powerful

Respondents

Percentage

10%

3%

beggar mafias.
B) No syndication exists; increase in

17

poverty raises the number of

beggars.
C) Addicted youth choose to beg for

7%

24

80%

buying drug, this gives a rise the

crime
D) The increase in desire of earning
easy money of poor people and
involvement of mafias, both factors
worsen the syndication

Data Presentation:

Reasons behind increase in this syndication

increase in desire of earning easy money of poor people and involvement of mafias, both factors worsen the syndication

80%

Addicted youth choose to beg for buying drug, this gives a rise to the crime

7%

No syndication exists; increase in poverty raises the number of beggars.

3%

Commercial business for powerful beggar mafias.

Column1

10%

ANALYSIS:

18

By doing the survey it is found that, according to 80% people not only the involvement of
mafias but also the desire of poor people begging as way of profitably erning money without
working worsens the syndication. And 10 % people thinks that as it is a profitable business
for powerful mafias, so they might spread the syndication for making huge money.7% people
said that addicted youth including poor children choose to beg for buying drugs this adds a
extension to the syndication in Bangladesh .only 3% people thinks there in no syndication,
generally increase in poverty increase the number of beggars. By looking at survey result it
can be said that begging has become a commercial business worth multimillion dollar in
subcontinent run by powerful mafias and even real beggars are taking advantage of that, so
this whole factor is responsible for spreading the syndication day by day in Bangladesh.
Ques-8: Do you think beggar syndication and human trafficking are related and if yes
what is the reason?

A) Yes, human trafficking helps to

Respondents

Percentage

7%

3%

7%

spread the business, mafias might

have syndicated link with their Indian
counterparts for cross-border trading.
B) No, a large number of human
trafficking victims are forced
involved in prostitution or are used
for selling their organs.
C) Yes, a specific gang of traffickers
abduct people for deforming them

19

and use them for begging later.

D) Both A and C

25

73%

Data Presentation:

The link between human trafficking

& beggar syndication

7%; 8% 3%; 3%
7%; 8%
73%; 81%

Yes, human trafficking

helps to spread the
business, mafias might
have syndicated link
with their Indian
counterparts for crossborder trading
Yes, a specific gang of
traffickers abduct
people for deforming
them and then use
them for begging

No, a large number of

human trafficking
victims are forced
involved in prostitution
or are used for selling
their organs.
Both A and C

ANALYSIS:
Here we see that majority of people (73%) choose both A and C .the combination of both the
options represents that human trafficking is the major component of spreading this business

20

and even they may have syndicated link with the Indian counter parts for cross-border trading
of abducted and maiming children or normal poor people so that they can deform them or use
them to arouse more sympathy from the passerby to get more alms. Total 14 % people choose
option A and C separately having 7% in each. According to the opinion of 3% people these
two issues are not related because most of the victims of human trafficking are forced to
involve in prostitution or are used for trading of their organs.
Ques -9: Why Bangladesh is facing this syndication unlike developed countries?

A) Highly corrupted country and the

Respondents

Percentage

16

53%

7%

27%

13%

involvement of many rich family or

political leaders with mafia gangs
may be exposed.
B) In developed countries begging is not
allowed
C) Ignorance of government considering
it a less serious issue.
D) Developed countries enforce laws
against this kind of syndication.

Data Presentation:

21

Reasons behind BD facing this sydication unlike developed countries

Developed countries enforce laws against this kind of syndication

13%

27%

Ignorance of government considering it a less serious issue

In developed countries begging is not allowed

Highly corrupted country and the involvement of many rich family or political leaders with mafia gangs may be exposed

7%

53%

ANALYSIS:
In response to the question, 53% people response that Bangladesh is highly corrupted and
many influential rich families and political leaders themselves may be found involving with
the mafia gangs, so this kind of syndication easily can be compressed before bringing in a
light in exchange of money and with influential power. 27% people said that governments
ignorance considering it as a less serious issue to bring in under controlled which does not
happen in developed countries, all the issues should be prioritized for countrys welfare.13%
people have given their opinion that developed countries enforce law if there is any
suyndication.7%people think that egging is not allowed in developed countries and this
dissimilarity causes our country to face the syndication.
Ques10: Do you think any rehabilitation process would be effective by law enforcement
people in Bangladesh?

22

A) Yes, it would improve the lives of

Respondents

Percentage

13%

17%

12

40%

devoured children or poor people.

B) No, being terrified some would
blame untrue accident and would
flee away back to the begging
livelihood
C) The effectiveness cannot be assumed
before enforcement in country like
Bangladesh
D) No,

despite

of

having

legal 9

30%

safeguards some vested will do

business behind begging

Data Presentation:

23

The effectivenessof rehabilition process

30%

No, despite of having legal safeguards some vested do business behind begging

40%

The effectiveness cannot be assumed before enforcement in country like Bangladesh

No, being terrified some would blame untrue accidents and would flee away back to the begging livelihood

Yes, it would improve the lives of devoured children or poor people

17%

13%

ANALYSIS:
By conducting the survey, it is seen that 40% people said the effectiveness of the
rehabilitation process cannot be assumed before enforcement in country like Bangladesh.
30% people think that it will not be effective because it is seen in many cases, despite of
having legal safeguards some vested doing business behind begging.13% people agreed that
it would improve the life of devoured children or poor people.17% people said No, being
terrified some would blame untrue accident and would flee away back to the begging
livelihood . It indicates that they would just disappear rather than speaking the truth or
specifying the main culprits.

Secondary Data Presentation and Analysis

24

It is roughly estimated that beggars constitute 5% of the total population of Dhaka city. If this
percentage is correct then we have one million beggars in our capital city. And out of this 5%,
45% people has willingly chosen begging as their profession, 30% are forced for begging and
25% people do begging to inability to work and poverty. And among the forced 30% beggar
80% are kidnapped children and infants who are mostly deformed by the mafias to get more
alms.

Summary of Research Findings

Throughout the research it is found that most of the people are known of the fact of the
beggar syndication. According to the responses the syndication mainly includes some able
bodied as beggars pretending lame, blind, dump and act like patients to arouse sympathy
from the passers by running their profitable business begging. Another dangerous side of this
crime is, it may have syndicated link with another issue of human trafficking run by
underworld mafia groups. Children and infants are the main victim of both of the issue.
According to an unofficial rough estimate, every year not less than 5,000 Bangladeshi
children are abducted by the Bangladeshi beggar mafias which may have syndicated links
with their Indian counterparts for cross border trading of abducted and maimed children. The
job of such mafias is to abduct, drug, maim and force the children to beg at designated places
that are assumed to be guarded and controlled by mafia leaders. It can be also be said that
authority is aware of the issue but their inability to stop the syndication and the rapid spread
of the syndicated power of the mafia gangs for running the trade indicate that there might be

25

exposal of many rich influential families and political leaders themselves involved with the
underworld mafias for making millions of money annually. it can be also determined as there
was no rehabilitation program for such victims in our country the effectiveness cannot be
measured before, but there is high possibility that some children who know that they were
maimed by their bosses are also too terrified even to speak out the truth; instead of blaming
their masters for their mutilated body they would lie and return to bergging livelihood.

As the forced begging is implemented through physical and mental coercions beggars
generally do not want to disclose the information about the gangs who are engaged with the
barbaric trade of begging, evidence from print and electronic media confirm that these gangs
abducting children afterwards making physically impaired and pushing them begging. My
hypothesis was Bangladesh is facing serious begging syndication problem the involvement of
powerful mafia rackets and fraud beggars and governments callousness towards it.
Government should implement some strict steps against this ugly, dehumanizing and criminal
aspect of
Exploitation. Thus it can be concluded that through my primary and secondary research my
hypothesis agreed to be correct.

Recommendations
26

The terrible conditions in which Bangladeshi children are forced to beg is truly heart rending.
Force begging must be stopped by tackling the beggars mafia. People do not want to see
anymore picture of inhumanity the civil society. Government should give due attention to the
issue and launch a massive drive against the beggars mafia and also the pretending beggars
who have taken beggary as business should be identified with the help of police and other
social organizations. In order to stop the brutal business the following initiatives can be
taken:
Government should conduct a secret mission to catch the mafia gangs involve in creating
syndication.
Government may determine the genuine number of beggars by taking survey in
association with the non government organizations.
Technical and vocation training has to be arranged for capacity building of these beggars
so that they can get involved with job.
Government should launch rehabilitation program for these disabled and deformed
people.
The people who make it their job by pretending of being disable should be found out and
punished.
Government and non-government organization should give emphasize on poverty
alleviation.
Mass awareness has to be raised against the culprits by organizing seminar, symposium.
Print and electronic media can play pioneer role in this regard.
All the state authorities, civil society and the community, in particular the law enforcement
agencies must act in a coordinated manner to prevent this crime, protect the victims and prosecute
the culprits.

Conclusion
Bangladesh is the second largest Muslim country of the world. People of this country love
religion from their core of heart. As Islam instructs not to neglect any person and help the
helpless, poor, some people apart from morality have taken this opportunity and adopt it as
27

source of income by abducting people and forcing to beg after maiming. In such way
hundreds of children or poor people are being compelled to beg every year which is one of
the worst violations of humans right and absolutely against the dignity as a human. And also
some of people take begging as their profession. So Government should consider the
seriousness of the issue and should take strict steps to prevent this kind of syndication.

Limitations
As commerce at the back of begging is absolutely secreted, it is difficult to collect
information from the respondents. And the information from the web was also limited. Time
for the submission also short so I have to complete the research paper based the information
available to me.

Reference
1. Anbarasan, E. (2011) Bangladesh to Survey Beggars in the Capital Dhaka, telecasted
on BBC News, Dhaka on 29 September 2011, reprieved from,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15119854

28

2. APP (2012) Campaign Launched against Professional Beggars published in The Nation
(English Daily of Pakistan) on August 11, 2012
3. CNN(2011)Gang Profit From Maimed Child Beggars reprieved from,
http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/04/gang-profits-from-maimedchildbeggars
4. Asian Journal of Business and Economics Volume 3, No.3.1 Quarter I 2013 ISSN: 22313699
5. CNN (2011) Bangladesh: Child Mutilated for Refusing to Beg available at
http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=24836
6. Daily Star (2010) Rab arrest reveals horror Children abducted, maimed, forced to
begging published on December 30, 2010 available at
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=168086
7. Delap, E. (2009) Begging For Change: Research findings and recommendations on
forced child begging in Albania/Greece, India and Senegal. Anti-Slavery International,
London

Appendix
A. Proposal
B. Survey Question 5 copy.

29