RANGPUR, Sept 23, 2021 (BSS) – Burn survivor women with disabilities have sought special assistance and need-based care for their treatments and development to bring an end to their indescribable miseries through mainstreaming in the society.

They viewed this at the concluding function of a two-day ‘Gender Awareness Training Course’ arranged with the theme of building leadership involving disabled women during the Covid-19 pandemic at community levels on Wednesday.

Jagorn Protibondhi Nari O Shishu Unnayan Sangstha (JPNSUS), a local NGO working for welfare of disabled women and children, organised the event at its office in village Deuti under Pirgachha upazila of the district.

Voice and Views, a national NGO working for promoting human rights of disabled women, especially burn survivors, extended assistance in arranging the event with the funding of Women Fund Asia.

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Voice and Views also continues providing food assistance and health safety materials to burn survivor women with disabilities in Rangpur, Narsingdi and Kushtia districts.

Adviser of JPNSUS Nur Alam presided over the concluding function participated by 22 burn survivor women with disabilities of Parul union in Pirgachha upazila.

President of JPNSUS Khadija Parveen and Senior Reporter of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Md Mamun Islam conducted different sessions of the training course as resource persons.

After participating in group discussions and different sessions of the event for the first time in their life, the burn survivor disabled women discussed their sufferings saying that they even forgot their legitimate rights and meaning of life.

While expressing her painful life story, Abeda Khatun, 32, of village Aviram in Parul union said her body was burnt and became physically disabled long ago and could not avail medical services due to poverty.

“I can not walk as bleeding continues all the time from both of my infected legs --- I have no ability to avail treatments— I am suffering from other diseases too,” said a homeless Abeda, who lives in her mother-in-law’s tiny house.

Like many others, Peyari Begum, 38, of village Arazi Chalunia said she was a minor girl when she was suddenly burnt and her legs became the worst affected.

She was later married at a premature age. She has a son and her day-labourer husband can not work due to illness for many years.

An eighth grade student Khadija Akhter Lucky, 14, of village Sharif Sundor said most parts of her body were burnt six years ago.

“Despite acute poverty in my family, I am hardly continuing studies. I need special assistance for my treatment and education and reamaining safe from child marriage,” Lucky said.   

Talking to BSS today, Founder and Executive Director of Voice and Views Jannatul Ferdous, a 60 percent burn survivor, said the meaning of Voice and Views is ‘To raise our voice for creating positive views of the society’ on the way to attain the SDGs by 2030.

“We are working since 2014 to raise human rights issues of burn survivor women and other women with disabilities for their development and empowerment to contribute to the government’s efforts of building a developed Bangladesh by 2041,” she added.