The 19th World Autism Awareness Day was observed in districts as elsewhere in the globe on Wednesday with the theme of "Autism and Humanity - Every Life Has Value" and highlighting the importance of dignity, rights and equal opportunities for individuals with autism.
GOPALGANJ: On this occasion, a discussion meeting was held on Wednesday morning after the rally and distribution of assistive devices.
Deputy Director (DD) of the District Department of Social Services (DSS) Asit Kumar Saha chaired the meeting, while Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Magistrate Md Arif-uz-Zaman spoke as the chief guest. Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Abu Sayeed Mohammad Faruk, Additional DC (Education and ICT) Sobhan Sarkar, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md Humayun Kabir, etc. spoke as the special guests. Dr Md Anisuzzaman of the Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro delivered the welcome speech at the event. Earlier, free wheelchairs were distributed among ten disabled people.
LAXMIPUR: On this occasion, a discussion meeting was held in the conference room of the District Administration on Wednesday morning organised by the District Administration and District DSS.
Additional DC (General) Samrat Khisa chaired the meeting. It was addressed by CS Dr Abu Hasan Shahin, former president of the Sacheton Nagorik Committee (SANAK) Professor ZM Farooqui, DD of the District DSS Swapan Kumar Halder, Assistant Director Md Mahbubur Rahman and others.
NAOGAON: On this occasion, a rally was organised by the District Administration, DSS and Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro in front of the DC office on Wednesday morning. The rally paraded various roads of the town and ended there. Later, a discussion meeting and awards were distributed in the DC office conference room. DC Mohammad Saiful Islam was the chief guest.
The meeting was chaired by DD of District DSS Nur Mohammad. Among others, Additional DC Masudul Haque, Assistant Director of District DSS Mohtasim Billah, District Disability Officer Mohammad Ahad Ali, Consultant of Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro Sabera Sultana, Head Teacher of Ashar Alo Autistic and Intellectually Disabled School Md Osim Uddin and others spoke. At the end of the discussion meeting, 12 disabled people were distributed various assistive devices including wheelchairs.
PIROJPUR: On this occasion, a rally was brought out from the circuit house premises on Wednesday morning that paraded the main roads of the town and ended on the DC office premises.
Later, a discussion meeting held at the DC office conference room with DD of the DSS Iqbal Kabir in the chair, while Additional DC (General) Md Alauddin Bhuiyan Jony spoke as the chief guest.
Among others, Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh ADAB President Ziaul Ahsan, Positive Pirojpur President Md Habibur Rahman, and Brac District Manager Zahid Hossain spoke in the meeting. Assistant Director of the DSS Ibrahim Khalil conducted the meeting. Priyangboda Bhattacharya delivered the welcome speech. District administration, DSS and Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro jointly organised different programmes.
RAJBARI: On this occasion, a colourful procession was taken out from the Rajbari DC office on Wednesday morning under the joint initiative of the District Administration, DSS and Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro, and ended at the same place after parading various roads.
After the rally, Rajbari District Magistrate Uchhen May chaired the meeting in the DC office conference room, while DC Afroza Parveen spoke as the chief guest. She said, "Autism is not a curse; it is our moral responsibility to embrace them and behave well with them."
Among others, ASP Md Shamsul Haque, CS Dr S M Masud, and DD of the DSS Abu Saleh Mohammad Ali Ahsan spoke.
CS Dr S M Masud said: "Just as the symptoms and characteristics displayed by children vary, children can be affected by about 360 types of autism. Marriage beyond the age of 30-40 can also be a cause of autism. There are differences in behavioral severity and degree.
In addition, diversity can be observed in the expression, understanding and use of language of children affected by autism. Autism that displays all types of characteristics is collectively identified as 'Autism Spectrum Disorder' (ASD).
People with mental retardation, low intelligence, and high intelligence are included in this spectrum. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases has identified autism as a disease."
RANGAMATI: On this occasion, a discussion meeting was held at the Rangamati Zilla Parishad Conference Room on Wednesday morning, organised by the DSS.
DD of the DSS Md Faridul Alam chaired the meeting. It was attended by CS Nuen Khisa, Executive Officer of the Hill District Council Nuruddin Mohammad Shibli Noman, ASP Muhammad Iqbal Hossain, Secretary of the Rangamati Disabled School and Rehabilitation Centre Md Nurul Absar, and Assistant Director of the DSS Rupana Chakma.
The speakers at the discussion meeting said that autism is not a disability. It is possible to develop autistic children as skilled human resources through collective awareness and cooperation of people from all levels of society. They called on everyone to ensure compassion, education, and social rights for children with autism.
TANGAIL: The day was observed in the district through a discussion meeting and a rally at the DC office.
DC Sharifa Haque was present as the chief guest at the event, while DD of the District Protibondhi Seba o Sahajjo Kendro Md Touhidul Islam presided over the event.
Among others, ADC Sanjay Kumar Mahanto and various government and private sector officials and employees were present at the event.
