A journey in a wheelchair and the life story of a self-confident young man

The Dhaka Times Desk Today I will tell you the story of such a young man whose confidence can show the way to save people. I want to conquer the world even sitting in a wheel chair.

The autobiography of such a helpless person with disabilities has been published on Facebook. Indeed we read many stories every day, but we should read such autobiography. If you really read this story, you will understand how far people can go if they have will power.

Shaheen Reza Russell's statement on Facebook is given below:

'My first travel experience was at the age of 7. Mujibnagar in Meherpur with mother's school colleagues. From then on, a love for travel developed. Before passing fifth standard, traveled to Rabindra Kuthibari, Lalon Saiji Akhara, Sixty Dome Mosque, Sundarbans. I formed a bird club with my friend Pallava in fifth grade. We two friends used a broken pair of binoculars to look for birds in the jungles of different villages. That was in 1995. After that I never missed any opportunity to travel. I got a lot of freedom from home in my childhood. I had a Phoenix cycle. Hasib's friend had a Wrangler, the two of us cycled for miles together. I cycled 30-35 km from Magura to Padmadi village of Rajbari to see the grave of Mir Musharraf Hossain. I had a rough childhood. Traveling was like addiction.

When I was in class nine, I went to the doctor for fever and I was diagnosed with a strange disease. The name is Baker Muscular Dystrophy. Even after seeing many doctors in Bangladesh and India, there was no result. No symptoms of the disease appeared in the body. Dr. Abhijit Chatterjee, India's renowned neurologist, called me and said, 'Although you are still very young. But you must tell the truth. All the organs of your body will gradually become ineffective. Your legs are affected first, even if you don't show any symptoms yet, your legs will slowly lose strength, you will be completely paralyzed after 10 years, then it will spread to other parts of your body. The event will happen very slowly. There is no treatment for it anywhere in the world. You have to be very tough mentally.' The sky fell on my head. I was like a freak for a whole year. Then from where I felt strong strength. I bet I will fight this disease of mine. I will keep the paralysis with mental strength as long as I can. And I will visit the whole of Bangladesh before I become paralyzed. A new celebration of life has begun. Playing cricket, playing football, cycling, motor biking, swimming in rivers, traveling, writing, cultural activities have all increased several times. After college, I got admission in Dhaka University. I formed a travel team with my friends in the university, we named it Nomads, we used to collect money and go to different parts of the country.

I am talking about 2006. At that time there were not so many adventure loving people in Bangladesh as now. The condition of the tourism industry was also not so good. There were few traveling teams like us. It cannot be said that there are thousands of experiences while traveling. Several books can be written about those experiences. Just as I crossed the border by mistake and entered the neighboring country and got into terrible danger, I survived for a short time. Similarly, I stayed at people's houses as a stranger guest in an unknown village and received sincere hospitality. If there is a chance, I will tell those experiences somewhere else at another time. However, the doctor said that after 10 years I will be completely paralyzed. As such, I have been using a wheelchair since 2009. I fought and extended it by almost 8 years. At the end of 2016 I was forced to take a wheel chair. I could not give up the addiction to travel. On April 12, I went on a trip again with a wheelchair. I visited Gopalganj, Barisal and Kuakata in 8 days trip. Durgasagar, Guthia Mosque, Shere Bangla Museum at Chakhar, Jibanananda Das's house (the house is not actually there, there is a library and auditorium), Barisal University, Lakutia Zamindar's house, Kirtankhola river, Poet Sukanta's house at Kotalipara in Gopalganj, Bangabandhu's tomb complex at Tungipara, Madhumati river, Kuakata I visited many places including the beach, Gangamati, Lemburchar. My wife, younger brother, and 3 other close younger brothers from university were my travel companions. This trip would not have been possible without their help. Been to Kuakata twice before. Then I went on foot. And now in the wheel chair. It is quite a struggle to reach the sea with a wheel chair by pushing sandbags. He doesn't mind struggling. But I am saddened to think that none of the tourist spots, rest houses, hotels, vehicles in Bangladesh are accessible to the physically challenged. No one may think so about the subject. What is society's idea of disabled people traveling again? Most tourist areas in many countries around the world are accessible for the disabled. Anyway, I urge the government and all those involved in this industry to make all the tourist spots disabled friendly. I myself will build a social movement in this regard. I hope to get all the travel-loving people of Bangladesh by my side in that movement. I could not finish my trip to Bangladesh before sitting in a wheel chair. I have completed 54 districts. 10 more left. I will finish them too. And the journey won't stop. A journey that started on foot is now in a wheelchair. He will travel by ambulance or stretcher. A doctor from Bangabandhu Medical University told me that my life expectancy according to medicine is 5 years. I've said that many times. Some more places will go around. I have a latent desire, I don't know if it will be fulfilled. If I get a chance, I will travel the world in a wheelchair before I die. May all travelers win. (If the post is irrelevant or against the group policy, the respected admins may decide not to approve)'