Twenty-eight-year-old Shawkat Hossain sat quietly in a brand-new motorised wheelchair outside the Chattogram Deputy Commissioner (DC)'s office on Saturday. His head was slightly bowed, while beside him stood his mother, Sanu Begum, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief, gratitude, and the weight of years of hardship.
For the first time in nearly three decades, she felt her son might finally regain a sense of independence.
A resident of Ward No. 36 under the Bandar Police Station (PS) in Chattogram, Shawkat has been paralysed since the age of two.
Most of his life has been confined to the corners of a small home, unable to walk or move without assistance. His father, Nur Mohammad, works as a security guard, and the family barely survives on a modest income. The compounding costs of Shawkat's treatment, medicine, and daily care have consistently pushed them deeper into financial hardship.
Sanu Begum recalled how she had approached numerous people over the years seeking a wheelchair for her son. While some offered empty assurances and others told her to return later, no actual help ever materialized.
As a last resort, she met with DC Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian last Wednesday. Recalling the meeting, Sanu Begum became emotional.
"I could not even bring myself to ask for a motorised wheelchair-I felt too shy," she said. "I only told him that if my son had a regular wheelchair, he could at least sit up properly. Sir listened to everything patiently."
Moving swiftly, the DC immediately instructed the officials concerned to take action. Just three days later, on Saturday, DC Zahid handed over a motorised wheelchair to Shawkat. In addition to the mobility aid, the family was provided with financial assistance to cover the costs of medicine and nutritious food.
While Shawkat remained mostly silent, quietly holding the wheelchair's armrest, his mother spoke with visible relief.
"During the monsoon, rainwater floods our house. My paralysed son would often end up soaked because he couldn't move on his own," she shared. "Now, at least, he will be able to move himself outside."
Mohammad Omar Faruk, Deputy Director of the Chattogram District Social Services Office, was present during the handover ceremony.
