Free wheelchair service, introduced by Switch Bangladesh Foundation, has brought a great opportunity to the elderly booklovers, who are unable to walk, to enjoy the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
The foundation, which is working to establish rights of disadvantaged and vulnerable people, has introduced the service for the people, who are unable to walk or have other types disabilities and the elderly people, four years back.
They also introduced the services for children in the last year. With 45 wheelchairs, the foundation is operating the service this year. A total of 42 volunteers from different universities and colleges are taking part in the service with a view to working for the welfare of people. The free wheelchair service is available at the TSC Circle, which is the area from where vehicles are barred from entering the book fair premises. The dense crowds at the book fair made it difficult for elderly people to traverse even short distance, but the wheelchair service had made it all easy, said KM Abdul Wadud, former director (Research) of UGC, who has recently availed the service.
“As of now, 130 people received the service this year,” said Akib Jabed, coordinator of service.
“When we see an elderly person is struggling to walk, we go to them and offer our wheelchair service. All of our volunteers are ready to stay with those who need the service,” Akib added.
Each volunteer stays with the people from the moment they get out of their vehicle till they get back on it to leave the fair venue,” he added. Akib said there are still many people, who do not know about the service. If they knew about it, they would have come to the book fair and enjoy the book fair like others.
“They can call us before coming to the fair venue, so that we can be ready to receive them,” he added.
Volunteer Tahmina Sultana Reshma, a 3rd year student of Dhaka University, said she feels proud of getting such opportunity to be a part of the service. “It is a new experience for me…..it gives me satisfaction and happiness that cannot be expressed in words”, she exclaimed with great joy. “I think I am very lucky for being here and doing such a great job as it gives me mental satisfaction and happiness. I knew about the service by social media and did not want to miss the great opportunity,” said another volunteer Farid Khan, a 3rd year student of Dhaka College.
