Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Rabbi is a 25-year-old artist. Last year, one of his paintings was chosen to be printed on greeting cards, sent out by our country's Prime Minister for Eid-ul-Fitr. When he isn't painting, he works at a private company performing small tasks on the computer. Rabbi leads a functional, productive life, a fact that may surprise many when told he suffers from autism.
Like Rabbi, many other individuals with intellectual disorders are now being able to integrate themselves into society. This incredible achievement has been made possible by an organisation known as the Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled (SWID), that sphere-headed the campaign for equal rights for the developmentally challenged, when there was no one else advocating for them.

Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

SWID- Bangladesh was founded in 1977, by a group of parents who were concerned for the future of their intellectually disabled children. Among them Mrs Johura Rahman, Mr D P Barua and Mrs Salma Huque took the lead in this effort. They collaborated with Dr Sultana Zaman, who was the then Associate Professor of Psychology at Dhaka University, specialising in mental retardation. Together they established a plan to educate children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, communication disorders and behavioral disorders, in special classes in a structured schooling system in order to help integrate them into society. Their endeavor was soon recognised and assisted by the government and many private organisations both national, such as BRAC, and international, for example the Norwegian Association for the Mentally Retarded.
Today, after 35 years, SWID has spread its branches all over the country. “We now have 85 schools in 7 divisions of the country with over 8000 students,” says Mr Nurul Islam, Manager of the Head office of SWID. “Along with trained, competent staff, we have psychologists who assess all our students and create an individual curriculum for them, based on their intellectual levels and abilities. We also have physiotherapists and occupational therapists to assist each student based on their needs.”

Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Walking down the corridors of its school in Eskaton Garden, laughter and songs fill the air as children and young adults go about their unique school day, gaining knowledge, not only in academia, but also on how to take care of themselves in their daily lives. The bright, colourful classrooms are decorated with their artwork and proof of achievements. “Our students participate in the Special Olympics every two years and almost always come back with gold medals,” says Fazlul Karim Rokoni, principal of the school. “This year, we are sending them to Australia to participate in the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games Tournament 2013. They partake in swimming, cricket, badminton, table tennis and football.”
“I am going to India during Puja to dance at a show,” says 13-year-old Pragna Tarannum, who has Down's syndrome, and is a marvelous classical dancer. SWID continues to inspire many similar projects and hopes to serve more of the intellectually disabled population in the years to come.