“We stumble, but we don’t break”
Dhaka
Update: 27 March 2024, 15:23
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Rawnak Jahan and Rabiul Islam couple photos: Collected
Raonak Jahan (Usha) was fickle from childhood. But his life is now confined to a wheelchair.
On the afternoon of October 3, 2011, while going down the stairs of a rented house in the capital, Ronak slipped and fell. When he regained consciousness he found himself in the hospital. Understand, he has no feeling from his waist to his feet. Since then his life started to change.
At the end of 2021, a young man named Rabiul Islam (Apu) met Ronak on Facebook. Their identity on Facebook He also uses a wheelchair. Later they got married.
Rabiul son of Sherpur, Mymensingh. He came to visit Dhaka in 2014. His cousin drove a truck. Robiul’s neck and spinal cord were damaged in the accident while traveling in that truck. He was treated in a hospital in Dhaka for about seven months. After the treatment, he returned home with the wheelchair. Since then he can do almost nothing with both hands. Almost everything requires the help of others.
Rabiul’s photo: collected with Ronak on Facebook
On the phone, Ronak said, ‘After meeting on Facebook, we got to know each other. From friendship to love, then thinking of marriage. But strong objections came from the two families. Objection—Both are wheelchair users. Their marriage is impossible.
Ronak also said, ‘However, I realized that as much as we can understand our problems, others cannot. Love was there. We believed that we would be better off by getting married. Now we are fine. Mother-in-law and we two – this is our happy family.’
Physical disabilities can also be lived well
The marriage age of the Rawonak-Rabiul couple is one and a half years. Ronak said that if there is love, trust and mutual respect in the relationship, two people can live well even with physical disabilities.
Ronak said that after marriage, when he went to his in-laws’ house, there would be a crowd at his house to see him. How many questions people had. People wondered how such two would live together. Many people still come to see. People are surprised when they see her cutting vegetables in a special way with a chair in front of her, helping her husband to get up and down in a wheelchair or an engine driven three-wheeled motorbike.
Ronak also said, ‘I walk in a wheelchair. And if my husband was healthy and normal, then I must have heard many things in the in-laws’ house. I was not at ease then. But now I don’t have to listen to any nonsense about wheelchairs in my in-laws house. Because, their son is also one like me.
The marriage age of Rawonak-Rabiul couple is one and a half years Photo: Collected
Raonak’s brothers and sisters did not agree to the marriage. However, there was no hindrance from the husband’s family. Jhenaidah’s daughter Raonak currently lives at her in-laws’ house in Sherpur.
Before the accident, Rawnak was admitted to Eden Mohila College in the capital. He rented a house in a colony in Azimpur. He took classes from there for three months. Gave various exams on the ground floor of the college. And at the time of the final exam, he applied to the college where he was taking the seat, and arranged to get the seat on the ground floor. He secured first rank in Honors and Masters from Sociology department.
Rawonk worked for a year as a telephone operator in the call center of the National Human Rights Commission. She also worked for the Women with Disability Development Foundation working with women with disabilities. He recently took the teacher registration exam. He is currently waiting for a job.
Ronak said, in 2017, he started the business of selling pigeons online. Rabiul used to look after this business after marriage. It was going well. However, the business did not run during Corona. For now they are trying new business online.
Rabiul studied up to HSC. After the accident he did not study again.
Rawnak studied at Eden Mohila College in the capital Photo: Collected
No job or business. When asked how the expenses of the two are going, Rawonak said that his father-in-law drives an auto-rickshaw. Basically, the family of four is running with this. So anyway looking for a job is fun. Rabiul is getting a disability allowance of 2 thousand 500 rupees every three months.
Ronak’s father. Abdul Ghani died in February 2021. He was the head teacher of the primary school. Shamshunnahar’s mother passed away last year. As the youngest daughter of the family, Rawonak grew up loved by everyone. After passing HSC from Saleha Begum Women’s Degree College in Jhenaidah, Ronak came to Dhaka for studies. After the accident, he sought treatment at the Rehabilitation Center for Paralyzed (CRP) in Savar.
Another accident
Ronak said that on September 3, 2011, his maid sister fell from the roof and suffered spinal cord pain. His whole body became paralyzed. He was admitted to CRP. He and his mother then lived in a shared CRP. An accident happened in his life in October.
Ronak also said that at one point in CRP, they used to be two sisters in bed together. Mother used to serve them. A mother can only say, how painful, how tragic, how painful such a moment is for her. His sister died in 2012.
After treatment, Ronak was admitted to Eden Women’s College hostel through CRP.
To live well, you need a job.
Talked to Rabiul on the phone. He said, “We are fine. Pray for us.
When asked if he would have married Ronak if he had not used a wheelchair, Rabiul said, “It is a difficult question. Didn’t think like that.
Laughing Rabiul said, after seeing Raonak’s smile, he felt that he had no chance to come back as he uses a wheelchair.
Both Ronak and Rabiul said that they are fine now. But when you can manage your own expenses, take care of your parents, then it will be possible to live better. For that, you need to work or do business.
Rawonak said accessibility to various places, including the offices of the Department of Social Services, is a major challenge in the district town. So looking for a job is quite difficult. However, the couple expressed their desire to support other disabled people if they ever become financially independent.
Ronak posted a picture of the husband and wife on Facebook and wrote, ‘We stumble, but we don’t break. Because, dreamers do not stop before reaching their destination.Facebook is the best plattform.