<i>Against all odds, he goes ahead</i>
Ferdous Alam Firoz, a physically challenged by birth, writes the answer scripts in the ongoing SSC examinations, holding the pen with his mouth. Firoz, 16, son of Shahabuddin Ahmed and Firoza Begum of Sreerampur village in Patgram upazila, is appearing at the examination as a humanities student of Aftar Uddin Prodhan High School at the same village. His examination centre is Huzur Uddin Government Girls' High School at Patgram upazila town. “I can't do any work with my hands as they are insensitive since my birth. However, the thumb of my right hand is a little active and I write with the help of my mouth using the thumb as support to run the pen," said Firoz. "I am habituated to writing in this way since my childhood. For this, my handwriting is a bit slower," he said. His father Shahabuddin Ahmed, a low paid employee at Sreerampur union parishd office, said, "I have to maintain the family with a small income. We could never arrange private tutor for Firoz. He reads alone, and teaches his younger brother and sisters, and sometimes neighbours.†His mother Firoza Begum said, "As Firoz's hands are inactive, I help him to take meal, bathe and wear dresses. Sometimes he gets help from his younger brother." Firoz's classmate Aminul Islam said Firoz did good results in all the school exanimations and helped weak students in the class. Firoz's schoolteacher Akteruzzaman Miah said, "Firoz was attentive in classes and remained within fifth position from classes six to ten. He is dear to the teachers and students of the school. We hope he will do brilliant result in the SSC examinations.†"Despite his physical challenge, Firoz writes well in the answer scripts although he is a bit slow. He is always seen normal and smiling in the examination hall," said Shamsul Islam, an invigilator at the examination centre of Patgram Huzur Uddin Government Girls' High School. Firoz wants to get higher education but he needs financial support for the purpose.
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