Ma-Baba Foundation: How one man’s grief became a lifeline for vulnerable elderly parents
Rostom Ali began by supporting just three vulnerable mothers. Over the years, that number has grown to around 20,000. For many elderly women with nowhere else to turn, his foundation has become a vital source of care, dignity and hope
It was 2017. Rostom Ali witnessed the heartbreaking death of an elderly woman from his own neighbourhood. Diagnosed with cancer, she had children who were all well established in life, yet none of them took responsibility for her treatment. She struggled not only to afford her medicines but even to secure three meals a day.
Rostom did what he could to help within his means, but despite his efforts, she did not survive. Her tragic death left a profound mark on him.
"The suffering that mother endured deeply affected me. I kept thinking that no mother deserves such a painful end at that stage of life," Rostom Ali recalled.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
That experience made him determined to do something. He gathered a few close friends to discuss how they could help vulnerable elderly parents. Those conversations led to the establishment of the Ma Foundation on 23 July 2017.
The organisation began by supporting just three vulnerable mothers. Over the years, that number has grown to around 20,000. For many elderly women with nowhere else to turn, Rostom Ali's Ma Foundation has become a vital source of care, dignity and hope.
Rostom Ali is a resident of Chakaria Municipality in Chattogram and works as a rural medical practitioner. After receiving training in rural healthcare from the BMF, he established his own pharmacy and clinic, which remain his main source of income. He also spent around a year and a half working as a teacher. Before that, he worked abroad for 12 years, taking jobs in Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Now 47, Rostom says his compassion for people can be traced back to his childhood. At school, he would often help classmates whenever they faced difficulties or needed support. As he grew older, that instinct only became stronger. Whenever he came across an elderly person who was hungry, ill, or without access to treatment, he tried to help in whatever way he could.
Rostom explains that his journey of supporting vulnerable mothers was not driven by a carefully planned ambition, but by a deep personal loss. He was only seven or eight months old when he lost his mother. As he grew up, the absence of mother's love became increasingly painful. Watching his friends receive the affection, care and warmth of their mothers made him realise just how important a mother's presence is in a child's life.
Being deprived of that love gradually nurtured a deep empathy for other mothers. Whenever he saw a mother in distress, he felt compelled to step forward and help. That lifelong instinct eventually found its fullest expression through the establishment of the Ma Foundation.
In the beginning, Rostom wanted to focus solely on helping vulnerable mothers. After finishing his daily work, he would head out every afternoon, spending around two hours searching for elderly women in need.
I have never done this work with the expectation of receiving awards or becoming well known. I have always believed that, as human beings, we should stand beside those who have no one else. I have simply tried to do that.
Day after day, he travelled through nearby neighbourhoods looking for mothers who, despite having children, had been neglected or abandoned, or who had no one to care for them. Many were living without adequate food, medical treatment or basic support. Once he identified their needs, he would personally purchase essential items and deliver them to their homes.
From Teknaf to Laksham
Rostom's friends also played an important role in supporting the initiative. Each contributed what they could, pooling their resources to help those in need. In 2022, the foundation expanded its work as Rostom set out to reach vulnerable elderly people on a much larger scale.
Using his Facebook page, he regularly posted appeals asking people to report elderly parents living in hardship. Whenever someone shared information about a vulnerable mother or father, Rostom and his team would first verify the case. They would then visit the person with food, medicines and other essential supplies, delivering assistance directly to their doorstep.
Over time, the foundation's work spread far beyond Chattogram. It now reaches communities across Mirsarai, Satkania, Lohagara, Anwara, Feni, Cox's Bazar, Ukhiya, Teknaf, Maheshkhali and Bandarban, as well as Daudkandi, Debidwar and Laksham in Cumilla, among many other parts of the country.
Tanjina Sultana Mukta, a resident of Mirsarai in Chattogram, has been helping Rostom identify vulnerable elderly parents in her area for the past two years.
"I first learned about Rostom Ali's work through his Facebook posts," she said. "Since then, whenever I hear about an elderly mother or father in distress, I let him know. I have seen him personally visit to verify the situation before returning with food, medicines and other essentials. Watching his humanitarian work up close inspired me to support the initiative in whatever way I could. On a few occasions, I also sent small donations through bKash."
Like Mukta, many others have joined the initiative after witnessing Rostom Ali's work. One of them is Mohammad Shafiul Alam, the General Secretary of the Ma-Baba Foundation. The 48-year-old resident of Chakaria was not involved when the organisation was first established. Inspired by Rostom's selfless dedication to helping vulnerable elderly people, he decided to lend his support.
"I joined the foundation about two years ago. Rostom had been doing all this work on his own from the very beginning. Seeing his hard work and sacrifices, I realised he genuinely wanted to help these people. It was his sincerity that drew me in. Since then, I have contributed financially whenever I can, and when I can't, I volunteer my time. Even now, however, Rostom still bears most of the expenses," Shafiul said.
To make it easier for people to get in touch, the foundation later created a Facebook group. It enabled volunteers and well-wishers from different parts of the country to report cases of vulnerable elderly parents in need of assistance.
Around the same time, another question began to occupy Rostom's mind: why should the initiative focus only on mothers? Many elderly fathers were also living neglected lives with little or no support. After discussions with fellow volunteers, they decided to rename the organisation from Ma Foundation to Ma-Baba Foundation, reflecting its commitment to supporting both mothers and fathers.
Today, the foundation has grown to 51 members. Their contributions help provide medicines to elderly people who are ill and food to those struggling to afford daily meals. For people paralysed by illness, the foundation also purchases wheelchairs.
The organisation prioritises three groups of beneficiaries. The first includes elderly people who have no one to care for them or support them financially. The second comprises those living with long-term illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or paralysis. The third includes people who cannot afford to buy their regular medicines or food. Depending on individual circumstances, the foundation often returns to assist the same person more than once.
Take the case of 75-year-old Mujolish Khatun from Chakaria. She has neither a husband nor any children and was left with no one to care for her. She now lives with her nephew's family, where his wife, Anwara Begum, looks after her.
"Our financial situation is not very good either. My aunt-in-law had become completely helpless, so we brought her into our home. Later, I told Rostom Ali about her situation. For nearly two years now, he has regularly provided rice, lentils, medicines and other essentials. Each delivery of food lasts us for three to four months. We are a family of seven, so his support has been an enormous help. We pray for people like him from the bottom of our hearts. May Allah continue to give him the strength to stand beside those in need," Anwara said.
On average, the Ma-Baba Foundation supports between 30 and 40 vulnerable elderly parents every month. According to Shafiul Alam, that number sometimes exceeds 100, depending on need and available resources.
He added that Rostom personally covers around 70-75% of the foundation's total expenses, while the remaining amount comes from contributions made by other members according to their means.
Rostom Ali says his father shared the same spirit of public service. Ali Akbar, a union parishad secretary, was actively involved in community development beyond his official duties. On his own initiative, he helped establish a primary school, a secondary school and a mosque in the local area.
"From my childhood, I saw my father thinking not about himself, but about other people. He always wanted to serve the community. Perhaps I am simply following the same path," Rostom said.
That commitment to helping others is also supported by his family. Rostom's five brothers and three sisters all contribute to the work of the Ma-Baba Foundation in different ways and continue to encourage him to carry on the initiative.
Not for recognition
Rostom Ali's humanitarian work is no longer confined to Chakaria. Whenever he receives news of a vulnerable elderly parent in need, he travels to different parts of the country to offer assistance. Through his involvement with an organisation of Bangladesh's non-graduate medical practitioners, his work gradually became known to a wider audience.
It was through this network that one of Bangladesh's leading industrial groups, Abul Khair Group, learned about his efforts. The company selected six individuals from across the country whose work has made a meaningful difference in society, and Rostom Ali was one of those honoured.
Asked how he felt about receiving the award, Rostom responded with a modest smile.
"I have never done this work with the expectation of receiving awards or becoming well known. I have always believed that, as human beings, we should stand beside those who have no one else. I have simply tried to do that," he said.
In many ways, Rostom Ali's story is more than that of a social worker. It is the story of a man who has tried to fill the greatest void in his own life by extending love, care and dignity to others.
