Teenage Bangladeshi girl with one leg, no hands pass exams with flying colors

By Md. Kamruzzaman

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Physically challenged Tamanna Akter Noora, 18, living in Bangladesh’s remote village of Jhikargachha in Jessore district has written all her exams using her toes.

With no hands and just one active leg, she has passed all her exams from primary to higher-secondary with flying colors.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the occasion of International Women’s Day being observed on Tuesday, she said that she did not allow her handicap to become a hindrance to her dream of achieving an education.

She is now preparing to get admission to Dhaka University to pursue research in microbiology.

“I wish to do my thesis on microbiology from any renowned university,” Noora said.

Recalling the struggle that she had her parents had to undergo, she said that as physically handicapped she had to cross various barriers.

“If you get something easily without labor, you will not get the real test of achievement. There are quotas for the physically challenged. I want to face the competition and to do something great with my capacity without any privilege or mercy,” said the girl.

Her father, Naosher Ali, said supporting his daughter’s dreams was not easy right from the beginning.

“When I first took her to a primary school for admission, the school authority rejected saying that the paralyzed girl might soil the school,” he said.

Ali said three schools refused to admit his daughter and then one school agreed on some conditions.

“My daughter sat on a mat placed on the ground in the classroom. Many times, after finishing the class hour, children often came out in a rush jumped over my daughter, hurting her frequently,” he recalled.

- Classmates' bias

Further, some teachers and students did not behave normally with her and used to taunt her.

Ali said his daughter continued to focus on education and ignored all the slurs.

Noora said the behavior of her classmates did give her mental and psychological pain, but also made her strong to pursue the goal.

"I thought that having been born as disabled is not my fault and if I work hard, Allah must help me," she said.

She urged all physically challenged boys and girls not to get disheartened and use their energies to seek a better life.

According to the Department of Social Services of the Bangladeshi government, there are nearly 2.5 million physically challenged people in the country including the mentally disabled ones.

Noora said she wants to work among physically challenged people and be a role model for them. She asked people not to discourage disabled people and allow them to pursue education and dreams.

“I am optimistic to set an example that physical disability may be a challenge but it can't be a permanent barrier on the way to success in life. I want to pull out the physically challenged people from the level that they are not supposed to survive on the mercy of others; rather they also have the potential to contribute to the nation,” she said.