The National Academy for Autism and Neuro-Developmental Disabilities (NAAND) in Segunbagicha, Dhaka, is the only government secondary school in the country dedicated to children with autism and neuro-developmental disabilities. Currently, 44 students study here, not only learning academic subjects but also vital life skills such as making flower garlands, bangles, block prints, and even operating computers. For many families, this school is a beacon of hope.
Unfortunately, this light may soon be extinguished. The government has decided to wind up the NAAND project before its term ends, citing slow progress-only 13 per cent in 11 years. The temporary campus, housed in a rented building, is set to close by November 30 as the landlord has handed the property to a developer. With this closure, dozens of children and their families will be left without any alternative.
Parents, some travelling from distant places like Bashundhara, depend on this institution because of its affordability-only Tk 1,000 for three months, an unimaginable rate compared to private institutions. Forty parents have already written to the Ministry of Education, pleading for the school's continuation.
Shockingly, despite spending Tk 94.98 crore, the main work of the project-the construction of a permanent academic complex-has not even begun. At the 16th Project Steering Committee meeting on September 29, 2024, it was proposed that the project be wrapped up in June 2025, incomplete. The matter now awaits approval from the Chief Adviser.
If this decision is not reconsidered, the country risks losing its only government secondary school for children with special needs. The state has a moral and constitutional duty to ensure that these children are not abandoned. The project must be revived, and the permanent campus constructed without further delay.
Ashikujaman Syed
Business Development Manager
Tianjin Pharmacn Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
syedashikujaman@yahoo.com
