ABG Foundation Stands by Orphans and Underprivileged Children with Weekly Food Initiative

For nearly 250 children living at Jamia Mohammadia Hafizia Madrasa and Orphanage in the capital, life away from their families can often be lonely. A few boxes, a bed, and a small trunk are among the few personal belongings that accompany many of them. Even holidays can feel like ordinary days as they miss the warmth of family and the joy of being with loved ones.
Against this backdrop, the Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG) Foundation has been working to bring care, happiness, and a sense of belonging into the lives of orphaned and underprivileged children.

Under an initiative of foundation chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir, quality meals are regularly provided to orphaned and disadvantaged children at madrassas and orphanages in Dhaka. Every Friday, after Juma prayers, special meals are distributed among the children.

On Friday (August 7), special food packets and meals were arranged for children at several madrassas and orphanages across Dhaka.

Those involved in the initiative said the programme goes beyond simply providing food. It also reflects society's responsibility toward vulnerable children and conveys a message of compassion and solidarity.

Students at the madrasa said Friday has become a special day for them as they look forward to receiving the weekly meal. The children's faces reflected happiness and relief after receiving the food.

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 in the future.

Maulana Abdul Latif Faruqi, founder and principal of the madrasa, thanked the ABG Foundation chairman for the initiative.

He said such programmes not only help meet children's nutritional needs but also contribute positively to their emotional and psychological well-being.

According to him, initiatives of this nature also help children develop a sense that there are compassionate people in society who care about them. He expressed hope that the smiles brought to the faces of orphaned children through the initiative would continue to grow and that such humanitarian activities would be maintained in the future.

Maulana Rafiqul Islam, an assistant teacher at the madrasa, said Sayem Sobhan Anvir has been quietly engaged in humanitarian activities for a long time without seeking publicity or formal recognition.

He said the regular provision of food for students and orphaned children through the initiative is highly commendable.

Gazi Badal, senior executive of the ABG Foundation, said, “ABG Foundation is a social and welfare organization. As part of our weekly programme, quality food was distributed today among orphaned and disadvantaged students at four madrassas in the capital. The foundation regularly provides meals for underprivileged people and orphaned students, and this initiative will continue in the future.”

According to people involved with the programme, at least 1,500 disadvantaged people and 500 orphaned children receive meals every Friday under Sayem Sobhan Anvir's initiative.

The ABG Foundation also conducts various social welfare programmes, including Sehri and Iftar distribution during Ramadan, meat distribution during Eid-ul-Adha, winter clothing drives and educational assistance.

Alongside his business activities, Sayem Sobhan Anvir has emphasized social responsibility and support for vulnerable communities. He has also maintained a tradition of spending special occasions by extending assistance to underprivileged and orphaned children instead of focusing solely on personal celebrations.

The initiative has gradually expanded from individual support into an institutional social welfare programme through the ABG Foundation. Those involved say its most meaningful outcome is the happiness reflected in the faces of children who receive care and support.