Rikta Akhter: A beacon of our confidence

"Man may be destroyed, but never defeated," said the world-famous author Ernest Hemingway. Rikta Akhter may not have read Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea, nor heard these extraordinary words, but through the struggles of life and the immense strength of motherhood, she has proven the same.

Rikta Akhter's fight began when she enrolled her speech-impaired daughter in school. In our society, it is often seen that when a child has special needs, many parents hesitate to send them to school. In the remote area of Chilmari, where Rikta lives, many parents do not send even their normal children to school. However, Rikta Akhter enrolled her speech-impaired daughter, Tanvin Dristi Moni, in a government primary school.

Soon after, the school informed her that they could not teach her daughter. Reluctantly, Rikta had to stop her daughter from attending school. However, Dristi Moni, unable to go to school, cried and bit her hands and feet in frustration. Seeing her daughter’s sorrow, Rikta Akhter returned to the school and pleaded the teachers repeatedly. But, despite her persistent requests, the teachers refused to teach Dristi Moni. She was even verbally abused for trying to teach her disabled daughter.

In her sorrow, Rikta Akhter began to wonder what to do next. She is a nurse at the Chilmari Upazila Health Complex in Kurigram. One day, she consulted her husband, and Abu Tariq gave her a piece of land. With this land, Rikta Akhter decided to establish a school for children with disabilities in her own name. Many people discouraged her, trying to explain that no one would bring their disabled children to study in such a remote village. But Rikta Akhter remained determined in her goal. In 2009, she built a tin-shed building and named the school "Rikta Akhter Banu Learning Disability School."

After the school was established, another challenge emerged. The bigger issue was not finding students, but finding teachers. No one was willing to teach children with disabilities. Rikta Akhter patiently explained her cause to her brother-in-law, and moved by her passion, he agreed to teach. After her brother-in-law joined, she was able to recruit a few more teachers. In the very first year, they had 63 students. But even then, the struggle continued. How would children from distant areas come to school? To solve this, Rikta Akhter arranged for vans to bring the children to school.

Today, Rikta Akhter’s school has 294 students, from elementary to fifth grade. In 2020, the school was included in the MPO list. The school, housed in a semi-pucca building, now has 21 teachers. Rikta now serves as the president of the school management committee. This is a brief history of Rikta Akhter’s personal battle and struggle. Just a week ago, many people didn’t know her name or her inspiring story. There have been some reports about her in the media before, but they likely went unnoticed amid other news. However, today Rikta Akhter has emerged so brightly that no one can overlook her. Now, many people in Bangladesh and around the world know the name Rikta Akhter Banu. The reason for this is that Rikta Akhter has been included in BBC’s list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2024. This is not just a matter of pride for Rikta Akhter, but for the people of Bangladesh.

BBC released its list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women in the world for 2024 on Tuesday. The list is divided into five categories: Climate Change, Culture and Education, Entertainment and Sports, Politics and Advocacy, and Science, Health and Technology. Rikta Akhter Banu has been included in the Science, Health and Technology category. The list features women from various fields, including a Nobel Peace Prize winner, astronauts, Olympic athletes, climate activists, and writers. Rikta Akhter Banu from Bangladesh is among them in the Science, Health and Technology category.

After being included in the BBC's list of 100 most inspiring women, Rikta Akhter Banu expressed to the media, “I am honored to be included in BBC's list because of my daughter. I am overwhelmed. This achievement is not mine alone. It belongs to the BBC family, the journalists, and everyone who has encouraged my work.”

She further stated, “Only those who have a child with a disability can understand our pain.”
Parents of children with special needs know how much care they must give. These children need constant attention, and the care required for each child differs. In most cases, one of the parents or someone close to the child must be with them all the time. There are significant costs involved in their education, training, and care. A normal child grows up and may become a support for the parents, but a child with special needs remains dependent, requiring lifelong care. Many parents even wish that their child passes away before they do, if no one is left to care for them. It’s a heartbreaking situation.”

Rikta Akhter emphasized that there are not many educational institutions or service centers for children with disabilities in Bangladesh. Therefore, many people have to establish and run such schools on their own. In this regard, Rikta Akhter stands as a unique example. She is an enormous inspiration not only for women but for all people. This is not just a matter of pride for one country; it’s a source of strength for everyone, inspiring us to face challenges and find the courage to live and fight in any adversity.

Rikta Akhter has stated to the media that her struggle is not yet over. She said, "In our society, children with disabilities are still seen through the lens of discrimination. The day social discrimination against children with disabilities ends, and when these children are able to walk around and interact with everyone in society with a smile, that will be the day my battle as a mother of a child with disabilities will be over."