DHAKA, Jan 2, 2024 (BSS)- Shahin Alam, a visually impaired Dhaka University (DU) student, wanted to be somewhat exceptional and desired to do something different. He was a dreamer and also taught his fellow students how to dream as well.
 
To realise dream, Shahin took computer literacy and also impart training to other visually impaired students and thus he became self-employed and helped others be employed.
 
Getting employment with the help of a visually impaired person by receiving training on computer literacy is being seen as remarkable event.
 
As computer skill is considered a valuable asset to increase one's chance in the job market, Shahin has taken a programme to impart training on computer to his fellow visually impaired brothers and sisters.
 
He announced to give lesson on computer through social media- Facebook. He also got trainees and provided training to 113 people in the last one year.
 
Many provide training. But the specialty of Shahin, who is from Moheshpur of Jhenaidah district, is that he is visually impaired and provides training to those who are also visually impaired at home and abroad. And he doesn't take any honorarium for providing training.
 
Shahin, son of farmer Abdul Kader of Alampur village of Moheshpur, has lost his eye sight when he was 13. But nothing resists him to reach his desired destination. Even now, he is helping others overcome their obstacles. Shahin has a brother named Saidur Rahman who is now doing job at a private company at Dhaka.
 
Family members said Shahin was suffering from severe fever when he was a student of class five. After diagnosis, the doctors said that he was infected with typhoid. Later, he was relieved of fever, but his eyes were infected and he became visually impaired within three years of the incident. At that time, he was a student of class eight.
 
But, his eagerness to study didn't wither away. After the incident, he left the general school and got admitted to a school special for visually impaired students under the Department of Social Services at Narail. He passed secondary exams from Tularampur High School in 2013.
 
After passing secondary examination, Shahin was admitted to Shamsul Huda Khan College. He used to go to the college about five kilometres away from his house on foot. He passed higher secondary in 2015.
 
He had a dream to study at Dhaka University, but financial constraints barred him to get admitted into any coaching centre. He continued his study with the help of his friends. Shahin excelled in the admission test and occupied position in the merit list. He got admitted to the Political Science Department of DU by taking loan.
 
Shahin had no computer. He used the computer of visually impaired students center of the university and gave lesson to others.
 
Shahin said he has learnt computer during his study. And he was also a trainer of a project of Bangladesh Computer Council and provided training to visually impaired persons, he added.
 
He returned home in the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic and spent leisure time for about three months. Later, he thought that he would do something for the visually impaired persons.
 
And finally, he started imparting training on computer to the visually impaired persons.
 
In the first batch, there were 60 students who received a three-month course on computer. In the second batch, there were 53 students. Apart from Bangladesh, 40 Indian students took part in the training.
 
Shahin provides trainings on fundamentals of computer, screen reader, Microsoft ward, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power Point, internet browsing, etc.
 
Shahin said he conducted the first batch on his own initiative. Later, an organization named Access Bangladesh Foundation co-operated him to use Zoom app and provided certificates to the trainees.
 
Though there are many skills that visual impaired persons need to get competitive employment, acquiring skills on computer has become as one of most desirable skills.