An initiative by Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG) Foundation is bringing moments of care and happiness into their lives. Under the initiative of ABG Foundation Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir, arrangements are regularly made to provide meals for orphaned and underprivileged children.
Every Friday after Jumu'ah prayers, nutritious and quality meals are distributed among the children. Beyond meeting their nutritional needs, the initiative has also created a sense of care and belonging among children who grow up without the support of their families.
Sayem Sobhan Anvir has also chosen to stand beside disadvantaged children on his own special occasions. Instead of elaborate celebrations on personal occasions such as his birthday, he has prioritised bringing smiles to the faces of orphaned and underprivileged children.
As part of the ongoing humanitarian initiative, special food packages and meals were arranged for children at several madrasas and orphanages in Dhaka after Jumu'ah prayers on Friday (August 7).
Those involved in the initiative said the programme goes beyond simply providing food. It also conveys a message of social responsibility, empathy and solidarity towards disadvantaged children.
Several madrasa students said Fridays feel different from other days of the week as they look forward to the special meals. The children were visibly happy and relieved after receiving the food packages.
One student said many orphaned children had the opportunity to enjoy a good meal after a long time. Praising Sayem Sobhan Anvir's initiative, the student expressed hope that he would continue to stand beside madrasa students and orphaned children.
Madrasa founder and principal Maulana Abdul Latif Faruqi thanked ABG Foundation Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir for the initiative.
He said such programmes not only help meet children's nutritional needs but also play a positive role in their mental development. They also help children believe that there are still compassionate people in society who care about them.
He expressed hope that the smiles brought to the faces of the orphaned children through the initiative would continue to spread and that such humanitarian activities would be maintained in the future.
Madrasa assistant teacher Maulana Rafiqul Islam said Sayem Sobhan Anvir had been quietly engaged in humanitarian activities for a long time without seeking publicity or formal recognition.
He said the regular provision of meals for students and orphaned children was highly commendable and expressed hope that ABG Foundation would expand its welfare activities in the future.
According to people involved with the initiative, at least 1,500 disadvantaged people and 500 orphaned children are provided with meals every Friday under an initiative of Sayem Sobhan Anvir, chairman of the leading business group Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG).
The ABG Foundation also carries out various social welfare programmes, including distributing Sehri and Iftar meals during Ramadan, meat among disadvantaged people during Eid-ul-Adha, winter clothing and educational assistance.
Alongside his business activities, Sayem Sobhan Anvir has placed emphasis on social responsibility and supporting people in need. He has also maintained a practice of extending assistance to disadvantaged and orphaned children on various personal occasions.
Gazi Badal, senior executive of the ABG Foundation, said, “ABG Foundation is a social and welfare organisation. As part of our weekly programme, quality meals were distributed among orphaned and underprivileged students at four madrasas in the capital today. The foundation regularly provides meals to disadvantaged people and orphaned students, and this programme will continue in the future.”
Beyond his identity as a businessman, Sayem Sobhan Anvir is also known for quietly extending support to people in need. Much of his humanitarian work remains away from the public spotlight, according to those familiar with his activities.
The foundation's initiatives reflect a continued effort to extend assistance to people at different levels, from individual initiatives to institutional welfare programmes. For the children benefiting from these efforts, however, perhaps the most meaningful outcome is the simple smile on their faces.
