Credit: GMB Akash ; shutterstock
In a small corner of Bangladesh, there is a story that touches something deep in all of us, the sacrifice a parent makes for their child.
For years, Idris worked as a street cleaner. It was honest, hard work, but society often looked down on him. He felt that judgment keenly.
He loved his daughters more than anything. But he also feared something many parents know: the sting of shame. So he did something most parents would never tell their children.
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Key Takeaways
- A father in Bangladesh worked as a street cleaner but hid his job from his daughters to protect their dignity and self-esteem.
- He invested every penny of his earnings in his daughters’ education, sacrificing his own comfort and basic needs.
- When he struggled to pay college fees, his coworkers rallied to support him so his daughter could continue her studies.
- His daughters later supported him and cared for the people who helped their family.
- Today, he measures richness not in money, but in love, respect, and family pride.
He hid his real job from his daughters. Instead, he told them he worked as a laborer, a small word he hoped would feel less heavy than the truth.
Every day, he worked with his fellow cleaners. When the day was done, he didn’t walk straight home. First, he took a bath in the public toilet, a small but intentional act to hide his real work and spare his daughters worry or embarrassment.
He did it not out of shame for who he was, but out of love for who he wanted his daughters to become.
His dream wasn’t simply for them to be educated. It was for them to stand in dignity before the world, without ever looking over their shoulder wondering if others were whispering behind their backs.
Day after day, he invested every penny he earned in their schooling. He never replaced his old shirt. He never bought shoes for himself. The money went toward books and fees.
But life has its own challenges.
When it came time to pay for college admission, Idris ran out of money. He couldn’t work that day. He sat beside a pile of rubbish, trying to hide his tears, unsure how to face his daughter with the truth.
Then something extraordinary happened.
His co-workers, the very men he worked beside every day, gathered around him. They asked him if he considered them brothers. Then, without hesitation, they handed him their day’s wages, insisting he take their money to pay his daughter’s admission fees. They said, “We can starve today if needed, but your daughter has to go to college.”
That moment changed his life.
He went home not as someone ashamed, but as a parent filled with pride and relief. His daughter soon finished university. She now works part-time, and all three of his children help support the family so he no longer needs to work in the streets.
And something beautiful happened in the process.
His daughter often brings him to his old workplace, not because he must work, but because she wants to feed his former coworkers. Cake, meals, and laughter fill those days. When people ask why she does it, she simply says:
“All of you starved for me that day so I can become what I am today. Pray for me that I can feed you all every day.”
Today, Idris doesn’t see himself as a poor man. Not anymore.
He is rich in something far greater, love, respect, and a family that stands together. He remembers that once, he hid the truth from his daughters so they could grow without shame. Now, they celebrate that truth together.
If stories like this, those that honor quiet devotion, family bonds, and courageous love, touch your heart, then you’ll find meaning and inspiration at Simply Wholesome. We share heartfelt moments from around the world that remind us what truly matters.
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