School for hearing impaired in a sorry state

Dinajpur Badhir Institute, a school for the speech and hearing-impaired children in the northern district, has been limping amid lack of fund support since its inauguration over three decades ago.

The welfare organization, established at a small place in Gunjabari area of Dinajpur town in 1990, secured its registration from the Social Welfare Department the same year.

The then chairman of Dinajpur Municipality late Aminul Haq was founder president of the organisation.

Meanwhile, two other social workers and businessmen of Dinajpur--Badiul Alam Patwari and Abul Hossain Patwari--had also played an important role in establishing the school. 

Soon after its establishment, the institute received a massive response from all, and within a decade it became the most trusted institute to the parents of the children with speech and hearing impairment in the northern region.

Providing cost free education and skill development training to the children with disabilities was the only goals of the institute, said Azaharul Azad, a former secretary of the institute's managing committee.

Till now it is the only residential institute for children with speech and hearing impairment in Rangpur division, he said.

But, a massive development work took place when Taiyaba Majumder, mother of the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, became the president of the institute' managing committee in 2003.

After arranging funds, she procured 40 decimals of land at Gunjabari in Dinajpur town and constructed a four-storey building, comprising of academic, administrative and residential arrangements in 2006.

The same year, the authorities concerned recruited 10 teachers, hostel supers, night guards and peon.

But despite assurance, payments of the teachers and staffers remained halted since the political changeover in 2007.

During a visit to the institution this correspondent saw the entire complex wore a dusty look.

While talking, Naznin Akter, head teacher of the institute, said she has been serving the institution for the last 18 years without getting her monthly payments.

Besides, other teaches and staffers of the school are also not getting their salaries for years.

At present the institution has 50 residential students, of them 23 are girls.

"We have been trying to avail the payment order from the social welfare ministry since 2007, but we are yet to get any nod from the government," she said.

In order to pay all the expenses they need at least Tk 2.5 lakh per month, the head teacher added.