Navigating Through Poverty and Pandemic: A Case Study on a Destitute Religious Institution in Bangladesh

Abstract

 In a pandemic situation every social system suffers, and weak institutions become shattered. Like many other institutions, religious ones have also suffered in last couple of years of COVID-19 pandemic. A rural Bangladeshi religious unit, Nawdabash Madrasa and Orphanage, the madrasa having 120 students and the orphanage sheltering 84 orphans. It was already impoverished in pre pandemic period suffering and struggling to fulfill its basic needs. It was fearing being totally shattered and permanently closed down at the start of COVID-19. However, it did not actually perish. Rather, it made progress in achieving fulfillment of basic needs for its orphans and run the madrasa for its students. It could also strive towards making the achievements sustainable. This paper investigates their struggle towards better days and how it was successfully done which was no less than a miracle.