Glimpses of light thru' cricket

Visually challenged children along with coaches, teachers and govt. officials before an exhibition cricket match. Photo: STAR

They can't see anything, but nature has given them the ability to feel and enjoy everything. They don't see colours-cricket is all but the feel of bat and ball. Cricket brings colour to their lives.

Visually challenged children along with coaches, teachers and govt. officials before an exhibition cricket match. Photo: STAR

The young cricket-playing talents are not only playing to spend time, they also are students. This gives them the feeling that they are able to participate in activities that was once unthinkable. Most visually challenged persons believe that they can contribute to the society job if they get proper support. Some blind students are building their identity as cricketer at the village Saptibari of Aditmari Upazila in Lalmonirhat, as they being trained.
Spectators were awed watching the excellent performance of visually challenged boys in a blind cricket match, held at the playground of Saptibari High School at Saptibanri village of Aditmari Upazila in Lalmonirhat. Many of the spectators included; Government officials, journalists, teachers, students, NGO representatives and local people. They gathered in the school playground to watch the blind cricket match.
Nine visual students from class two to intermediate of Integrated Education Programme for Blind at Saptibari Resource Centre played cricket among themselves after 10 days of training for one month in June, 2013. Two coaches included; the captain of Bangladesh Blind Cricket Team (BBCT) Hafizur Rahman Bulet and the trainer of BBCT Sanowar Ahmed. The programme 'Training Camp on Blind Cricket for Visually challenged Students' was organised by Government Integrated Education Programme GIEP, a partnership programme between Department of Social Services and Sightsavers.
One of the coaches, Hafizur Rahman Bulet said that he feels very happy after watching excellent performance of the visually challenged students. He complemented, “Nine visually challenged students received training from us on how to play cricket. In short time, they achieved much and they expressed their experience through the match”. He believes that these students will develop extraordinary skills in future if they are provided with regular training.
A visually challenged student of class two, Mostafa Kamal Manju said that he loves studying, but finds immense joy playing cricket–he dreams of becoming a cricketer. He said, “Now, I know how to play cricket. I can throw ball and bat. Ten days of training give me the skill of playing cricket. My skill will develop if I get more training”.
Another student of class twelve Ibrahim Miah said that it was his first time playing cricket. He feels playing cricket gives fresh mind.
“We are blind students, but we no less than others, we are equal like others in the society and we want to exercise our right in any form we can. Like any other aspiring student, we need only support and proper direction”, said another blind cricketer Ramzan Ali of class four.
The Resource teacher of Integrated Education Programme for Blind at Saptibari Resource Center, Ershad Ali, said that he always takes care of all the ten visually challenged students in the centre. He understands the sufferings of the blinds as as he is a blind as well. He hopes that the kind-hearted people in the society will extend their helping hands to the visually challenged students to continue playing cricket.
The Aditmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rezaul Alam Sarker said that he in awe watching the blind cricket match. They are very good at playing the game, and they also brilliant in their education. He also vowed to support the students.