Blindness fails to deprive Oity of securing ‘A’ grade

Oity Roy (15), a visually impaired candidate of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations this year, has again proved the authenticity of the proverb that where there's a will there's a way. Like other students of her school, she also passed the SSC exam, fighting an uphill battle against all odds.

Oity participated in the SSC examinations from Haldibunia Secondary School at Mongla upazila in Bagerhat and passed the exam securing ‘A’ grade with a GPA of 4.39. Taking preparations with the help of her mother who assisted her as a stenographer and with the help of a student named Bijaya Halder of class VIII of the same locality, Oity sat for the exams.

The indomitable girl hailed from Haldibunia village at Chila union under Mongla upazila in Bagerhat. Overwhelmed with emotion, her father Anupam Roy told the Views Bangladesh, “My daughter has been blind since birth. But from childhood, she was very interested in studies. That's why we enrolled her in school going against the opinions of neighbours and relatives.”

Oity’s mother Shankari Roy said, “Seeing her interest in studies, I used to take Oity to school since childhood. Her life's dream was to study. Now she has passed the SSC exam. We are very happy, and we thank the Lord for her achievement.”

The economic condition of the visually impaired student, however, is not good enough. Her parents want their daughter to study as much as she can. And for this, they sought the assistance of the government.

Mongla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nishat Tamanna said, “I am surprised to see such a visually impaired talent. Without talent, it is not possible to achieve such results. Now the treatment of Oity's eyes is necessary. Apart from this, I will take maximum measures on behalf of the upazila administration so that she can continue her studies regularly.”

Talking to the Views Bangladesh, Oity Roy said, “I am blind since birth. But I really wanted to study. My indomitable desire is the reason behind my success. If my mother did not support me in my studies, I would not have come this far. Mother would sit beside me and read the textbook time and again and I used to memorize it. This is how I continued my studies.”

Oity also talked about her dream of getting a government job and becoming a recitation teacher after completing her studies.

Biswajit Halder, the headmaster of Oity’s school, said, “Oity’s father Anupam Roy and I are childhood friends. He used to worry about his blind daughter. I told him to enroll her in my school (Haldibuniya Secondary School), and I will figure out the rest.”

“Since getting admission to the school, Oity used to study in the class very carefully. She was very bright in class. Today, she passed SSC securing ‘A’ grade with a GPA of 4.39, increasing the status and brightening the image of of me and the school. We are very happy with her result. I pray that Oity will develop her talent and become a great human being in her life.”