World Autism Awareness Day today

Staff Correspondent: Today is 10th World Autism Awareness Day. The day will be observed in the country as elsewhere across the world in order to raise awareness among people through events and raise funds for autistic children.

This year’s theme of the day is "Toward Autonomy and Self-Determination".

It was once thought that autistic children are the burden of the society. They were also neglected to their families. There was no suitable environment for the autistic children to develop in a natural way. They do not get any facilities. Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Generally, autism spectrum disorder appears in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development, such as learning to talk, play, and interact with others. The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, as do its effects.

People with autism may have unusual interests and behaviors, extreme anxiety and phobias, as well as unusual phobias, obsessive interests, line up toys or other objects, play with toys the same way every time, like parts of objects (e.g., wheels), become upset by minor changes, flap their hands, rock their body or spin in circles, give unrelated answers to questions, repeat words or phrases over and over, unusual eating and sleeping habits, lack of fear or more fear than expected and unusual reactions (over or under-sensitivity) to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel.

It is needed to bring the autism issue into our realisation that how troubling time their guardians are passing. Activities and initiatives of Saima Wazed Hossain, better known in Bangladesh by her nickname, Putul, have awakened this sense in our spirits.

Autism, an ignored public health issue, came to the forefront in Bangladesh after Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a school psychologist, launched campaign on it in early 2007. Saima also received recognition from the World Health Organization for her great endeavour on a neglected public health issue. A significant number of children of Bangladesh also suffer from autism, a neuro-development disorder, and steps have already been taken to raise awareness about it among parents, families, and in society. Facilities have also been established for their treatment and management locally.

Now the entire world knows Saima Wazed Putul as a renowned "Autism expert". Putul is the chair​person ​of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh​ and a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health. We believe her endeavour is a matter of great pride. For this reason, we can boast of Saima Wazed Putul to the world people. But this job is not so easy, it’s very difficult job indeed. She has been doing the job very well for long time.

Many of us do not know that an international conference regarding autism was organised in Dhaka in 2011 for the first time with an initiative of Saima Wazed Putul who brought South Asian nations together under the South Asian Autism Network (SAAN). Saima who spearheads autism campaign in Bangladesh was awarded with the ‘WHO Excellence Award’ in 2014 for her contribution to neurology development, disorder and autism sector in the region.

Saima presented the key note paper of a seminar titled “Facing Autism: Strategies of World Community in the Light of SDGs” at the New York headquarters of the United Nations (UN), marking World Autism Awareness Day in 2016. Saima was also a moderator of an event, “Elimination of Disparity” organised by Bangladesh, India, Qatar, South Korea and “Autism Speaks”, a US-based autism advocacy organisation.

Bangladesh has set a new example in the world to face autism with the sincere efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul. Various steps have been taken to ensure physical and mental development for the autistic children such as taking care of experienced trainees, special education programme, meeting special demand of every autistic child, bringing impaired children to a special arrangement financially.

Children having autistic characteristics and disabled persons are being given treatment free of costs by setting up “Autism Resource Centre” and an “honorary school” in the campus of Foundation for Development of the Disabled Persons, or Jatiya Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation located in the capital’s Mirpur. A school named ‘Proyas’ has been set up for the disabled students in Dhaka Cantonment. Side by side, a direction has been given to establish its branch in every cantonment. The government has undertaken a good number of activities to face autism. Meanwhile, several institutions have been built for imparting education to the autistic children in Dhaka. We become hopeful to know when the people like Saima Wazed Putul get engaged in such job. Their work really inspires us.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have given separate messages for this year's awareness day hoping that the day's observation would help build further awareness on autism and improve the condition of autistic children.

Abdul Hamid said autistic children have the equal rights and privileges as well as abilities to grow and contribute to society. These children, he said, could be turned into skilled manpower provided they were given due attention to unfold their potentials.

The President said autistic people have made enourmous contribution to the civilization and their contributions were recognized worldwide. Like the other parts of the world, he said, children with autism spectrum disorder have great potentials in Bangladesh as well.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message thanked all persons involved in the cause of autism and said she felt proud of her daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, who made tremendous efforts to bring smiles on the faces of autistic children and their families.

Sheikh Hasina, who herself also offered great patronage to autism, said the issue was completely unknown and unattended in Bangladesh. With Saima taking the lead, she said, it has become a known health issue now in the country. Saima has also been awarded by the World Health Organization and she has been continuing her efforts to address autism nationally and globally.

The Prime Minister said an autism centre was established at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in 2010, which is now dubbed as Institute of Pediatric Neurology and Autism (IPNA). This centre and other initiatives of the government already changed social negative perception about autism while motivated people to see it emphatically.

Sheikh Hasina also hoped that the children with autism, if given proper affection, attention and scopes, would turn into national resources instead of becoming so-called burden. She also urged all concerned to do their best for the betterment of the lives of such children.

The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the main programme of the World Autism Awareness Day at Osmani Memorial Hall today morning.

The BSMMU in a press release said they organised an art competition for the children with autism on its campus in the city yesterday.

Bangladesh Shishu Academy has also taken up a separate programme to hold a cultural function, where children with autism will perform dance, sing songs and recite poems today afternoon.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is blessed with the birth of a daughter like Saima Wazed Putul. We expect this from our leaders. Working for the autistic children is not easy in the developing country. There are many challenges for this. Bigotry, superstition and limited service in facing autism, lack of standard training of service providers and financial limitation are the big challenges for these countries. Prime Minister’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul is advancing ahead overcoming these challenges. Her concentration at work has fascinated us. She is basically working for the welfare of the human being. Really she is worth getting praises for her contribution to the uplift of the neglected portion of our society.

A state can turn into a welfare state when every citizen of the state can enjoy all facilities. Bangladesh is now on the highway of development. Participation from all is needed to pass this long way of development where our autistic children and disabled people can grow in a proper environment. Once they will be able to keep a significant contribution to the development of the country. The triumph of humanity is certain at the way Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul are working for the development of the autistic children.

risingbd/DHAKA/Apr 2, 2017/Amirul