One who loves also cares. One who cares can change. Those who change are movers and shakers. When I met Sabrina Sultana, a sweet singing doel of Bangladesh in her parents’ apartment in Chittagong on my recent visit to Bangladesh, I saw the flickering shadows of love in her eyes. Immediately I developed a feeling that she is someone extraordinary. Her eyes beamed with supreme confidence, an attitude of never say die. Deep in my heart I got assured Sabrina will change. Her efforts will be crowned with success.

I already knew through Arafatul Islam editing an NRB blog from Germany about the unrelenting battle of Sabrina for the physically handicapped persons of Bangladesh. Meeting her was one of the driving motives to include Chittagong during my visit. Sabrina is the daughter of Engr Sabur [Ex-senior professional of Chittagong Port] who is now living and working in Abu Dhabi. She and her younger sister are physically handicapped. She is not strong enough to move and walk freely and has to spend most of her time lying on bed or wheel chair. She has a computer but her numbed fingers do not have enough strength to press the keys of the key board. But she remains undaunted for the cause of establishing the rights of physically handicapped underprivileged persons of Bangladesh. She is the President of Bangladeshi System Change Advocacy Network [B-SCAN] which has just started ringing the bell among policy makers to do a lot more for physically handicapped persons.

In Australia and civilized world, physically and mentally handicapped persons are considered ‘the jewel of the society’. Special provision and privileges are ensured for them everywhere in parking places, in all office buildings, markets, transports. All public transports like buses, trams and trains have priority seats, special ramps for them; all offices have special arrangements for them to climb upstairs in lifts. All buildings in building codes have mandatory provisions to care for them. Here is the fundamental difference in attitudes and applications between civilized world and the rest. Physically handicapped persons are not considered a liability rather one and all have a heart for them. Everyone approaches them with a helping hand. They are respected and cared everywhere by everyone. They are privileged citizen in the civilized world.

“I know it is an extremely difficult task. I know about my limitations. But somehow I have some inner urge to battle for it. I know we still have to do a lot. But I will remain committed. I want to change the attitude of all towards the helpless innocent underprivileged section of the society. I will continue my battle for the legitimate rights of the handicapped persons”.

She is so sweet and cute. She is so loving and caring. I wondered why God did not give her all she needed to rock the world with her unlimited talent. She could do so much if only she could move. But what she has done is also huge. She leads a battle and she has already achieved some milestones.

Sabrina with great difficulties rode on her wheel chair when we went to meet her. Her mother was standing beside her. Sabrina is endeavoring to find the appropriate treatment. She mentioned about a stem cell rehabilitation treatment at Ecuador. We discussed about possibilities of similar treatment in Singapore, Australia or India. If any reader is aware of it, he/she is requested to inform Arafatul Islam about it. Sabrina’s father is trying to arrange required fund for her treatment. We fortunate NRBs can definitely come to some sort of assistance for it. Such a determined young fighter must not stay like this. If proper treatment can cure her, we must give it a try.

Sabrina has a dream to set up a school for physically handicapped children in Chittagong. She has already done some homework. Philanthropic organizations and persons especially affluent resident and nonresident Bangladeshis can generously contribute for it. A separate school for such children can do a lot. These children need special care and attention. All children are born equal. But it is only a freak of nature that some of them are handicapped. It is not a disease anyway. They suffer more from negative perception of society than their physical limitations. They are made to crawl into their shell. Those who have strength of mind survive. But in Bangladesh society there are very few who have the strong will power like Sabrina.

People behave indifferently with handicapped persons mostly because of their ignorance about them. In Bangladesh, people fail to recognize that all persons are born equal and everyone has the right to live equally. If nature made someone physically handicapped, he/she must get his/her due recognition and respect.

Let the sweet smelling flower Sabrina spread fragrance to everyone’s life Bangladeshi System Change Advocacy Network [B-SCAN] which Sabrina pilots is a voluntary organization. It aims at creating general awareness among masses and handicapped persons about fundamental rights of handicapped persons. In Bangladesh, handicapped persons are deprived of their legitimate rights very often. B-SCAN is endeavoring relentlessly for establishing rights for education, job, access everywhere and social recognition.

Here I mention some of the small steps of B-SCAN to achieve its monumental goals:

    On 15th July 2011: B-SCAN celebrated its Second Year of Establishment at Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium. Dr Anwar Hussain President Dhaka University Teachers Association, Prof Suvagato Chowdhury Director Laboratory Services BIRDEM and media personality Dr Abdun Noor Tushar were among the dignitary present.

    On 13th August 2011: B-SCAN provided Wheel Chair to 4 handicapped persons.

    On 15th July 2011: Introduction of Mohd Mahabubul Ashraf Memorial Scholarship for the handicapped student.

    On 8th June 2011: Introduction of interest free loan for setting up small business for handicapped persons.

    April 21st 2011: Publicity Campaign for Unified Education – Universal Tutorial:  B-SCAN has launched a campaign for unified general education with the inclusion of handicapped children with an aim to realize it by 2015.

    13th February 2011: Seminar for creating public Awareness for handicapped persons: B-SCAN organized a seminar at FREDP auditorium “Public Awareness for ensuring rights and privileges of handicapped persons”. Dr Suvagato Chowdhury, Mr Mansur Ahmed, Mr Badiul Alam, Mr Belal Mohammad were among the dignitaries.

    11 February 2011: B-SCAN appeared on ‘NEWS Hour Extra” with Ms Munni Shaha at ATN Bangla to publicize its agenda.

    09 Dec 2010: B-SCAN provided support for carrying forward education of three handicapped students.

    28th November 2010: B-SCAN with the assistance of Rotary Club provided wheel chair to two handicapped women Sultana Sumi and Gorgina.

    03 November 2010: B-SCAN organized seminar at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre with the assistance of Bangladesh Computer Society and Bloggers Forum for integration of handicaps in information technology. Mr Mustafa Jabbar, President Bangladesh Computer Society was the Chief Guest.

    24th April 2010: B-SCAN attended a meeting at Dhaka Club Limited upon invitation of Air Commodore [Rtd] Ataur Rahman. Rotary Club agreed to support the certain causes of B-SCAN.

    6th March 2010: B-SCAN participated in the Tritio Matra, the popular talk show of Channel I. The letter of Sabrina written to Prime Minister of Bangladesh attracted the attention of the program anchor Zillur Rahman. On behalf of B-SCAN Sabrina Sultana, Salma Mahbub, Late Mahbubul Ashraf and Miss Vallery Taylor [Founder of the Centre for Rehabilitation of the paralyzed {CRP}] appeared in the talk show.

    12th February 2010 BSCAN Get Together: A get together of those who pioneered B-SCAN in many different ways was arranged at Ramna Kali Mandir of Swarawardy Uddyan.


 Many development agencies and people from all walks of life including teachers, journalists and students assembled to express their support to B-SCAN. Some bloggers of amarblog.com were also there.

Speakers stressed upon changing attitudes towards handicaps.  All felt it is only through change of attitudes towards physically and mentally retarded persons we can make small steps. Every person has to play a role in his/her own area. Speakers also felt the necessity of integrating handicaps in general academic curriculums. B-SCAN members vowed to work for “Create easy access of handicaps everywhere and open the door for general education for them”.

In order to create mass awareness about the rights and privileges for the handicaps it was decided to organize meetings and seminars in Schools with teachers and guardians. It was also decided to distribute stickers and leaflets and carry out campaign in the media.

Little Sabrina despite her serious physical limitation has done so much for the underprivileged persons of Bangladesh. She is in a great mission. Her undaunted courage and determination will definitely lead to success someday. We are sure her dreams of having the rights and privileges of handicaps will be firmly established some day. But it will also need generous and spontaneous support from all corners.

Bangladesh Government can take a leaf out of Australia which is one of the leading countries of the world for ensuring deserving rights and privileges for the handicaps.

Let there be special provisions for handicaps at
1.    all public transports
2.    all parking
3.    all offices, banks, hospitals, markets and public places.

Let there be Special quota for jobs everywhere. Let us have integration of handicaps in general education curriculum.

Let us hope that exceptional Sabrina finds out the right place for treatment. Stem cell rehabilitation is a proven medical treatment. If she despite her limitations can do so much then imagine, what a fully recovered Sabrina can do.

A wonderfully gifted Bangladeshis embarking on a noble imitative must get all-round support from passionate and compassionate Bangladeshis from all over the world. Let her dream of setting up a school for handicaps also come true. Let the sweet smelling flower Sabrina spread fragrance to everyone’s life.

BDST: 1100 HRS, JULY 11, 2015
RS/SMS