Karimul Hak

In the tea country of north Bengal, many villages are far from a hospital and have no ambulance of their own. For years, many people there have called one man when someone falls seriously ill: Karimul Hak. He comes on his motorbike, and he does not charge a rupee.

His name is also spelled Haque in many reports. Around his home, people simply call him “Ambulance Dada” ^[2][3].

A loss that would not leave him

Karimul works in a tea garden near Dhalabari, a village in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal ^[2][3]. Years ago, his mother fell seriously ill at home one night. The family had no money for an ambulance, and he and his brother went from door to door asking neighbours to take her to hospital. No one did, and she died before morning ^[2].

He believed her death could have been prevented, and he made up his mind that no one else in his village should lose a parent the same way ^[2][4]. He saved what he could from his wages and bought a motorbike ^[2].

The bike ambulance

When someone falls ill, Karimul ties the patient to his back with a length of cloth, then rides to the nearest hospital or clinic ^[2]. The roads are rough and broken. Some journeys cross rivers and pass through thick forest, where wild animals can block the way at night ^[2].

The need is real. A small primary health centre lies about six kilometres from Dhalabari, but its facilities are limited, and the area has no regular four-wheel ambulance service ^[3]. His service, and his mobile number, became well known in the villages and even among local doctors, police and block officials ^[3].

He has paid for it himself. In 2017, he was earning about 4,000 rupees a month at the tea estate. A quarter of that went on fuel and upkeep for the bike, and another quarter on repaying a bank loan ^[3].

How many lives

Karimul has said he has helped save around 4,000 lives ^[2]. When his Padma Shri was announced, a local sub-divisional officer put the number of patients who had benefited from his round-the-clock free service at between 3,500 and 4,000 ^[4].

He learned of the award through a phone call from the Union Home Ministry ^[4]. The official list for 2017 names him under Social Work, from West Bengal ^[1].

Carrying it forward

The recognition brought some relief. The owner of his tea garden began allowing him more time for his ambulance work, and his two sons started helping him ^[2]. Karimul has spoken of a hope to build a small care centre near his home, so that people do not have to travel so far for basic help ^[2].

His story is a simple one: a man who could not save his own mother made sure that his neighbours would not be left alone in the same way.