Sengkang resident thanks Bangladeshi worker with gifts after helping to find missing gold bracelet in trash

When Reeya, a vice-principal at a preschool, left her house in Sengkang early on the morning of Aug. 7, she remembered holding on to her gold bracelet and a bag of trash.

While on her way to work, she realised her bracelet was missing and quickly rushed back to her block, thinking she might have accidentally thrown it away with the trash.

Unable to find it herself, she decided to call a number listed on the block's noticeboard for maintenance issues.

The person who answered her call was Touhid, a site foreman working under the town's cleaning contractor.

Even though he was in the middle of breakfast, Touhid rushed down to Reeya’s block and helped her recover the bracelet from the trash.

Grateful and touched by his kindness, Reeya later gifted him with some clothes and a drawing made by her preschool students.

Bracelet had sentimental value

"My heart was beating very fast while waiting for him," Reeya told Mothership.

The bracelet, which she had owned for over ten years, held deep sentimental value and was worth around S$4,000.

She would add a charm to it every time something special happened, as a way to mark meaningful memories.

So when she realised it was missing, Reeya was understandably upset and determined to get it back.

She called the maintenance number on her block’s noticeboard, and fortunately, Touhid picked up almost immediately.

"He was having his breakfast, but he told me not to worry and that he would come down," she said.

About 10 minutes later, Touhid arrived and began sorting through the rubbish bags in search of the bracelet.

But first, he gave Reeya a fair warning that it might be difficult to find it among all the trash, though he would try his best.

Found the bracelet

When Touhid started going through the heaps of rubbish, Reeya said she started crying as she was deeply touched by the kind stranger's efforts to find her bracelet.

Thankfully for Reeya, Touhid eventually found the bracelet in about 15 minutes.

"He was so sincere, and he tried his best even though it was so dirty," Reeya said.

Touhid went a step further and rinsed the bracelet with mineral water before returning it to her in a plastic bag.

A letter and gift of appreciation

Reeya decided to show her gratitude by gifting him some clothes and asking her preschool students to create a special drawing for him as a gesture of thanks.

She presented the gifts to Touhid the next day, much to his surprise.

"He was very happy to hear how thankful I was," Reeya said.

She shared that she had seen Touhid around her block before, doing his duties, but never had a conversation with him.

Now, thanks to this chance encounter, Reeya says she plans to keep friendly with him.

Top photos courtesy of Reeya