Bangladesh: Ability of disabled to excel found in life

23 Sep 2020 10:56 AM
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As the environment observes the International Day of Signal Languages on Wednesday, Bangladeshi citizen Shafiqul Islam, 40, has displayed that the disability cannot can be found in the way of talent, with a little handholding.

He may not come to be as famous as brilliant theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, but walking found in his footsteps, Islam has normalized his speech and hearing disability by creating quality art and design.

A global award-winning artist and graphic designer, dealing with the Bangladesh military in the last 15 years, Islam hasn't let his disability can be found in the way of going after his big dreams.

At the initially glance, looking at him drawing lines and producing a bit of art assiduously, one cannot make out that he's speech impaired. Wedded to a speech-disabled woman, who's also a professional artist and teacher at an art school, his journey is not so easy.

Afflicted with both speech and hearing impairment as his childhood, Islam didn't continue his studies after school for need of money and disability.

Using sign language, deciphered to Anadolu Firm by simply Ariful Islam, a rights activist, Islam narrates, that while applying for jobs, he previously cleared written exam at 20 places, but used to get rejected for the interview stage.

Frustrated at this treatment, he came back to his village in Narsingdi district close to Dhaka, the capital city, and tried his hand in graphic designing. In 2006, he joined the Bangladeshi army after rank primary in the competitive test, exhibiting his caliber.

Experts think that Islam’s success has proven that with just little support and focus, disabled people can work like normal folks. They possess asked the federal government and private organizations to come forwards and train challenged people.

According to a 2016 report by the Centre for Disability in Development, there 16 million persons with disabilities in Bangladesh, which makes 10% of the country's population. The federal government has posted two million physically-challenged people, who get a monthly stipend of 750 takkas ($8).

Coinciding the International Time of Sign Languages, privileges activists have asked designed for the social acknowledgement of speech-impaired residents and in addition providing them institutional conveniences to absorb them into the mainstream.

Dependence on sign language institute

Demanding the setting up of a sign language institute to market hearing and speech impaired people, experts said it was need of the hour because disabled people and consistently proving themselves at work despite surging challenges. Despite innumerable achievement stories, just 15% of disabled persons presently are absorbed in careers in the country.

Ariful Islam, who's also a champion for the hearing and speech impaired persons in Bangladesh, said an indicator language institute will impart skills to disabled persons and help them to compete for general public and private jobs just like normal people.

Furthermore, he said a modified regular sign language book is also necessary to avoid unnecessary dissimilarities between home-indicators and standard-signs.

Ariful has been performing as a sign language interpreter at many institutes, including at the state-run Bangladesh Television and the Bangladesh Primary Minister Office, for more than a long time. His brother Rofiqul Islam gets results as an administrative officer at a private farm name Keya Aesthetic Ltd, which has utilized 1,000 speech impaired people.

Government establishing specialized schools

Handling Director of the National Foundation for Production of the Disabled Folks (JPUF) beneath the Ministry of Public Welfare Anisuzzaman, explained the government was organizing to establish a national sign terminology institute and provide a typical and government-approved sign vocabulary book.

“The Information and Interaction Technology Division, can be working on finalizing a government-approved signal language book, plus they are collecting available sign terminology books in the united states to finalize a single one," he said.

The federal government official said that the JPUF has established some 62 specialized schools for the handicapped people, including for the speech-impaired. He added that 12 more such academic institutions are in the offing.

“Some 103 special program and treatment booths are there across the nation while some 32 special portable therapy centers are there to provide immediate health offerings to the folks with a good disability," he added.