A good year of uncertainty, yet a year of unity

2020, a year where a whole lot from work-from-residence to remote understanding how to many other stuff became popular. Amid each one of these, what became more noticeable than previously is that generally there live various unsung heroes in our midst; persons who tried to do their parts by adding effort so that they can extend their helping hands to people in need in enough time of a global pandemic. As the entire year concludes and we make ourselves to embrace a fresh calendar year, we at Toggle, think about days gone by, look on what we've learned, and love the warriors who tried so hard for the higher good.

In enough time of a worldwide health crisis, healthcare heroes, regardless of the risk involved, continued to treat and heal coronavirus infected patients. We talked to Dr Ikramul Hasan Khan, Lecturer at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College and Hospital, relating to this. He shared how everything was so hard at the initial stage. They had to undergo many challenges, specifically during March/April, and such had not been the case only inside our country but in the environment as no person was ready to take such a hit.

Moreover, due to the pass on of misinformation, various varieties of disastrous incidents occurred. Gradually the problem did progress as persons became more alert to the disease. However, even now, the road isn't quite easy as a result of the ongoing second wave of the virus. As well, the permanent existence of Covid-19 took a toll on the health care providers' mental wellbeing along with others where anxiousness became a part of their daily lives.

He elaborated about his experience of coping with the pandemic saying, "Although we previously had the knowledge of responding to national crises before, this time with the Coronavirus crisis, the problem was all the more dire and different. However, we continue going because of the duty we feel we've towards attending to our duty, which was included with choosing such a great occupation. Life and loss of life happen to be in the hands of the creator but what we perform with our lives is normally up to us".

"This season was an eye-opening season for us. We must re-think this is of success once again as we arrive to an end of the year. We tend jogging after degrees or materials success, but these come much later on the list. Humanitarian characteristics and ideals are what arranged us aside from other animals, hence such principles ought to be the concentration of our interest and prioritised. The ultimate success is a lot more than our worldly temptations which will be temporary, but giving back again to the world is normally eternal", he added.

Meanwhile, When confronted with a global pandemic, many helping hands came directly into help the helpless. Individual effort, and also Organisational work, was what persons needed. Many voluntary organisations stood collectively and against all chances, joined the fight Covid-19. Included in this, one was the voluntary organisation, Bidyanondo. The volunteers of Bidyanondo did not surrender and stayed motivated to continue their very good deeds to fight Covid-19.

They have not merely distributed dry foods, cooked meals, masks, PPE so far but also their medical team is continuing to supply medical facilities to those that require the support also in the remotest of places. They provided baby food and delivered grocery things for people stuck in the home. They have produced Corona dedicated medical center in Chittagong, helped farmers and many underprivileged individuals. Their Shabolombi job that aimed to greatly help persons become self-dependent was a successful initiation among a great many other jobs they undertook. They have many other assignments running even now.

Regarding to Faruque Ahmed out of Bidyanondo, "The journey, though sometimes, was tough for all of us to endure, at the same time, it was a substantial achievement for all of us because we received the opportunity to do some community work, and that delivers mental peace to all of us. While providing reliefs, we've visited many spots, seen people close up, met them personally, found out about their sufferings, and all of the experiences have manufactured the volunteers even more confident now. Worries of the Coronavirus will there be, but so is our good sense of responsibility. We had Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, BCG, BGB and various other voluntary organisations incorporating JAAGO Basis and Manusher Jonno Base assisting us. We happen to be grateful for all your supports we've got from others".

Despite the fact that we mentioned just a handful of people in this article, it really is to be acknowledged that, the homage we pay is because of everyone - from doctors to farmers, from delivery providers to laws enforcers to numerous more; even commoners who stayed in the home refusing to go out except regarding urgency deserves the applause.

The crisis presented the best in persons where various tried to go up above their obstacles and constraints to uplift others, because, well, the world needed it. During the pandemic, where, in a single hand, the farmers stored the country fed, the teachers adapted and transitioned to the brand new method of taking online classes because the nation had a need to keep the education heading. Everyone who did their job right is usually to be given credit rating and appreciated.

There was a exceptional collective effort as persons from different sectors came along to mitigate the consequences of Covid-19, and today, at the end of the year, with the news headlines of the invention of the vaccine, persons have found hope despite all of the sacrifices they had to make.