Chandpur: Harun Patwari, around 50 years old, a resident of Chapatia villge in Matlab (South) upazila, has been passing his days with a number of tumours, including one weighing 15 kg, bearing immense pain and sufferings.

It is not possible for Harun, who is a bagger, to undergo treatment due to financial inability, said Harun’s wife Joytunnessa while talking to this correspondent.

Harun was diagnosed with a tumour in his waist when he was only eight years old, Joytun said.

Later, he underwent a surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

However, just a few days after the operation, more tumours developed in different parts of his body, making him unable to work, said Harun, son of late Abdus Sattar.

The Harun-Joytunnesa couple, who got married 20 years back, have a son Masud, 18, and a daughter Mukta Begum, 13.

Masud had left school after completing primary education due to poverty and started working as a day labourer to earn livelihood while Mukta is a class VII student of a local high school.

Harun has taken homeopathy and ayurvedic treatment alongside local treatment from ‘kabiraj (herbal medicine practitioner)’ to cure the disease.

‘I have taken homeopathy and ayurvedic medicine. Even I went to kabiraj. But every attempt went in vain. Rather, the tumours started getting bigger and spread throughout my whole body,’ Harun said.

‘Once I took treatment from DMCH and got partial recovery. Later, I started to work at a hotel in the capital. Suddenly, the tumours started developing again. Following this, I returned home instead of going to hospital. If the government provides some financial assistance for my treatment, my suffering may be reduced,’ he added.

Harun’s cousin Pakhi Begum, 38, said Harun has four brothers but none of them have the ability to help him financially.

Abdul Mannan Miah, one of the neighbours of Harun, said Harun earns livelihood by begging. ‘If the Health Minister or any well-off people from the society come forward to help him, it will be possible for Harun to get cured of the disease,’ Mannan added.

Chandpur Civil Surgeon Dr M Shafiqur Rahman said he never heard of a disease like Harun’s.

‘If Harun comes to Chandpur General Hospital, we will form a medical board in consultation with our expert physicians to take necessary steps in this regard,’ said Dr Shafiqur.