Photo Feature:Pathshala- OUC Reportage Project 2010:

Black Blood

A photofeature by Jashim Salam

Advocate Nuruzzahan is the only blind female student to have studied Law from Chittagong University, although she does not practice law anymore, she is happy to work with Chittagong Computer Braille Production, where she is the Program Manager.

“I know what darkness means. In Bangladesh, it's very difficult for blind people to get an education. I personally faced several obstacles during my education. Some help us, but most simply ignore us. My parents helped us the most simply by treating us as normal human beings."

Three per cent people of Bangladesh's population are disabled. According to the World Health Organisation there are about 30 lakh disabled people in Bangladesh. “More than 70 per cent of the disability in our country is caused by marriage between relatives or same blood group of disabled parents", an officer of Chittagong Society for the Disabled says. Nuruzzahan urges couples to test their blood group before marriage. ”I don't want other families to suffer like we did."