Bound to a wheelchair since childhood, Ali Ahmed never stopped to wonder what his life would be like if his mobility was not limited.

But that did not dispirit the 22-year-old. Instead, he pursued an uninhibited life, just like he envisioned.

“Everyone has a dream -- to accomplish something; and I'm no different,” said Ali, who first fell ill at the age of 3.

By age 8, his poor parents started noticing that his limbs had started to curl up, but their dire conditions distracted them from seeking medical aid.

It was far too late when his parents took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with polio. By that time, his legs had lost functioning.

But that did not stop him, even at a young age. His father, Abu Hassan, a day labourer, used to carry him to his primary school, 2 kilometres away in Badorgonj of Rangpur.

Upon graduating to high school, an NGO handed out a wheelchair to him that eased his commute to classes every day. He swiftly moved on to college next, after passing his SSC exam in 2013.

“After my HSC exam, I received training on basic computer studies at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP),” said the youth

Ali is currently a second-year student of Bachelor's of Business Administration (BBA) at Savar University College.

“I dream of a world where people will only be assessed for their intellect and hard work, and that is what I am striving for.”

The university authorities soon took notice that he aced his coursework; commuting every day by a wheelchair and living at a nearby dormitory for rickshaw pullers and labourers.

Appreciating his perseverance, the authorities gave him a battery-run three-wheeler to ease his movement, and a place to stay in a small room under the staircase of a building.

“Now I do not have to bear rent for the dormitory where I used to live before. I eat one meal a day at a nearby restaurant, and otherwise, I keep dry foods like biscuits and 'muri' in my room to eat when I'm hungry at other times.”

He said he applied for a Department of Social Services allowance at his hometown in Rangpur, but he was denied one.

“Now all my teachers and classmates help me continue my education. Soon, I will be self-sufficient and support my family financially.”

Elias Khan, principal of Savar University College, said, “Ali is a bright student with a lot of potential. We try to the best of our ability to support him financially, but it is not enough.”

The university has recently requested the Savar office of the department of social services to grant an allowance for Ali, he added. “We are waiting for a response.”