<i>World tour on wheelchair</i>
Mohoram Ali
Mohoram Ali can't even cross a street without his wheelchair. But this 24-year-old young man, his left leg paralysed from childhood polio, is embarking on a world tour on wheelchair to raise awareness about rights of the people with disability. “I want to prove that the people with disability like me are not really useless. I want to show that nothing is impossible for them,” said Mohoram during a visit to The Daily Star office yesterday. Mohoram has already overcome his disability to travel on his wheelchair to India in 2007 and Russia and South Korea in 2010. He travelled 3,400-kilometer from Bangladesh to India. His wheelchair has also taken him to an 18,700-kilometer ride through 15 districts of Bangladesh. These trips have only whetted his appetite for achieving something bigger. This time he has set his mind on a world tour that will take him on his wheelchair through three sub-continents and 16 countries. The countries he plans to visit include the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Poland, Germany, Russia, UK, Ireland, China, India and Nepal. He plans to take his wheelchair on board buses, trains and ships, he said adding “I want to avoid planes because that may make my journey comfortable.” “I want to endure hardship to get more attention to the cause of the world's people with disability.” Born in a humble family in Pabna district Mohoram was infected with polio at the age of one year and a half and he blames his condition on wrong treatment by village quacks. He has been working with Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Savar since 2003. About his planned world tour Mohoram said he is seeking support to create a World Disability Fund. “The mission is also to inspire the disabled people and show what can be achieved by a strong will and determination,”, he said. During his travel he will use a modern wheel chair which was made in Russia, a travel bag and a video camera with him. There is, however, one problem: he needs at least Tk. 20 lakh for the trip. He said he needs to contribute at least Tk. 5 lakh and the remaining amount is expected to be raised by a Russia-based website, which is also the official partner of his world tour, www.bezgrainz.ru. “My concern is now how to raise Tk five lakh as my contribution. I'm appealing for donations especially from the big companies and the wealthy people of Bangladesh”, Mohoram said. He said he has already obtained UK and Russian visas. “It will help my mission more if I get the US visa and can travel there,” he said. Asked about his source of spirit, he said “I trust my own ability.” Mohoram can be reached at mohoramswheels@gmail.com or on 01714245908
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