Kamrul Hasan: The afternoon at the Manikganj Court premises was unlike any other day.

Soft sunlight fell across the yard as rows of people gathered—some leaning on a mother’s hand, others supported by a brother’s shoulder.
In their eyes gleamed anticipation; on their faces, shy but hopeful smiles.
They had come to receive a gift that could change the course of their lives — a wheelchair.

The Sadar Upazila Disability Development Council organized the wheelchair distribution and street rally under the banner of human rights and social inclusion.
The event was more than a mere formality — it was a heartfelt expression of compassion and responsibility toward those who often remain unseen.

The program was presided over by Advocate Masudul Haque, Additional Public Prosecutor of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal and President of the Sadar Upazila Disability Development Council.
The chief guest was Advocate Azad Hossain Khan, General Secretary of the Manikganj District Lawyers’ Association and a member of the BNP District Convening Committee.

In his speech, Advocate Azad Hossain Khan said, “Persons with disabilities are an inseparable part of society. No development can ever be complete without their inclusion. It is the duty of both the state and society to ensure their dignity, opportunity, and equal participation.”

Among the special guests were Md. Selim Rahman, DGM of CRP Savar; Md. Moslem Ali Hawlader, Coordinator; Mohammad Zakir Hossain, former District Coordinator of CRP Manikganj;
Md. Faruk Hossain, Principal of National Polytechnic Institute; Advocate Mohiuddin Swapon, General Secretary of the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum, Manikganj District Branch;
and Advocate Abdul Alim Khan Monowar, former BNP District Relief and Rehabilitation Secretary; former student leader Khondkar Murad Mahmud; and Advocate Mizanur Rahman, along with several local dignitaries and social workers.

When 45-year-old Rokeya Begum sat on her new wheelchair and looked around, tears of joy welled up in her eyes.

She said softly, “For years, I had to depend on others for every small movement. Today, it feels like I’ve been given a new life. Now I can go to the market by myself, even take my daughter to school.”

Like Rokeya, six other individuals with disabilities received wheelchairs that day — each one a symbol of new hope and regained independence.
For them, the spinning of those wheels marked the beginning of a new chapter of confidence and dignity.

Speakers at the event emphasized that sustainable development is impossible without the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
They called for expanding access to education, employment, healthcare, and social participation to ensure a truly inclusive society.

Officials from CRP Savar noted that extending such initiatives to every district on a regular basis would empower countless people with disabilities to stand on their own feet — literally and figuratively.

As the program concluded and seven underprivileged individuals received their wheelchairs, the courtyard filled with the soft hum of gratitude and joy.
Some smiled quietly; others shed silent tears of relief.
That afternoon in Manikganj became a living testament to humanity —
a moment when compassion triumphed, and disability bowed before love.