Liakat Majhi’s Boat floating, Life Struggles On

Time waits for no one. Like the flow of a river, it moves relentlessly. Liakat Majhi of Jeerat Ghat in Damurhuda lives his life keeping pace with both the river and time.

As the great poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote in his poem “Kheya”: "The boat crosses the river; some go home, some come from home. On both banks, the villagers are familiar; from morning to evening, there is constant coming and going."

Liakat Majhi has been carrying people across the river from four villages for the past ten years. At 67, his body bears the marks of age and hardship. He can no longer stand straight, yet from dawn until late at night, he pushes the boat with a pole and pulls the rope to transport villagers across the Mathabhanga River. Despite a decade of labor, his life’s wheel has seen little relief.

A resident of Madrasa Para in Jirat village under Perkrishnopur Madna Union of Damurhuda, Liakat Majhi has been operating the ferry in the adjacent Mathabhanga River for ten years. On-site observations show the weariness and despair etched on his face, his skin marked by the passage of time. With a piece of cloth tied tightly to a corner of the boat, he grips the rope firmly, carrying passengers with unwavering strength.

His daily routine also includes bringing emergency medicines to the sick from the riverbank. With the rising cost of essential goods, his household expenses have increased while his income has remained stagnant. Driven by necessity, he continues to rely on the boat for his livelihood. Yet, with rising costs, the income from carrying—typically 300–400 taka per day—is no longer sufficient to support his family.

Passengers from Jirat, including Rubel and Darshana Das Para, praised Liakat Majhi, saying he has been serving the community for ten years.

Sighing deeply, Liakat Majhi shared, “I do not own any land. I live on land belonging to others. A few years ago, with the help of the local UP chairman and members, the government built a house on khas land next to Jirat Siraj Madrasa. Since then, I have been living there with my family—two sons, a daughter, and grandchildren. Everyone has now moved out separately, and in my old age, I have to ferry people to sustain my family. My life moves in rhythm with the pole of the boat. I wish I could disappear into the flow of the river.”