Visually Impaired Suraiya Earns Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago

Metropolis Report –

Bangladeshi girl Suraiya Aktar Bably is visually impaired. She has recently obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA. Her Ph.D. dissertation topic was “Disability and Women in Bangladesh”. She has already received a job offer from a university in Indiana, USA.

Suraiya Akhtar did her Master’s in Philosophy at Jahangirnagar University. She was also the first visually impaired student at the university. In 2017, Suraiya Aktar went to the United States with her husband, Mizanur Rahman, and one child. Her husband also completed his Ph.D. in Disability from the same university.

Currently, Suraiya Aktar is staying in the USA. She said, “People who have been working with disabilities in Bangladesh for many years have written on their Facebook pages that I am the first disabled woman in Bangladesh to earn a Ph.D. And the teachers here said that I was the first disabled international student to complete a Ph.D. at this university. I don’t know if I am the first or not, but I managed to complete my Ph.D. despite various obstacles. That’s a great thing”.

Suraiya Aktar is suffering from a retina problem. Among the four sisters, another sister of hers is also visually impaired. Suraiya said if the light is on in the room, she may realize that there is a bed sheet in front of her but cannot understand its print or design. Slowly everything ahead is covered from gray to dark. She has accepted this fact since her childhood. Each time she had to proceed by establishing “I can”.

Suraiya acknowledged her gratitude to her husband, Mizanur Rahman, for being able to complete her Ph.D. with two young sons. She said that after completing the Ph.D., her husband got a job at a university in Indiana, USA. The same university authorities also offered her a job. But for now, she will give time to his two sons for six months. The elder son is eight and a half years old, and the younger one is two and a half years old. 

Suraiya also said that in 2017, her husband was selected for the Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, but instead of getting admitted that year, he got admitted the following year. He helped her prepare for her Ph.D. at the same university during that time. Then the two came together to do a Ph.D. in the same department at the same university. 

Suraiya said, “I almost went crazy while doing my Ph.D. After a few days of being scolded by the supervisor, I felt that I would not study anymore. Later on, my husband would explain and calm me down again. After the birth of my little boy, I fell mentally ill due to postpartum complications. I had to take therapy for several days. In the meantime, the pandemic started. But due to the pandemic, we both could finish all the Ph.D. work from home. It was a plus point for us.”

Suraiya said that she analyzed the articles published in various international journals about the position of women with disabilities in Bangladesh as part of her Ph.D. In the future, she wants to work on the reproductive health of disabled women and establish justice for women regarding this health.

Mizanur Rahman posted the photo of the convocation ceremony after his wife Suraiya Aktar completed her Ph.D. and wrote on Facebook that he asked his wife about her dreams on the very first day of their marriage. She replied that her father would be very happy if she could complete her Ph.D. at a world-renowned university. Mizanur wrote that on that day, he promised his wife he would be by her side to fulfill her dream. Now that dream has come true. 

Disability development expert in Bangladesh, Nafisur Rahman, said, “As far as I know, Suraiya is not only among women with disabilities but also among disabled people who completed their Ph.D. from a world-renowned university outside the country. This is also an outstanding achievement for Bangladesh”.

It was through disability that the Suraiya-Mizanur couple was introduced. Her husband, Mizanur Rahman, dreams of building a disabled-friendly society. In 2008, he established an organization called the Physically Challenged Development Foundation (PDF) in Bangladesh. The work of this organization includes making the normal people of society aware of disabled people. The PDF committees are working in universities across the country to help students with disabilities. Mizanur Rahman was the founder and president of this organization. He is also serving as the member secretary of the organization’s board of trustees in the United States.

Mizanur Rahman was introduced to Suraiya Aktar through the work of PDF. Mizanur also studied History at Jahangirnagar University. He got married to Suraiya in 2012, overcoming many obstacles. After the first year of graduation, they got married, and their first child was born during the third year. Then their second child was born while she was doing her Ph.D. 

Hailing from Nilphamari, Suraiya said her father, Maqbul Hossain, and mother, Rasheda Begum, are in the country. They are thrilled with the news of their daughter and son-in-law completing their Ph.D.

Suraiya went back to her childhood. She said that in Nilphamari, the parents used to think about whether or not to teach disabled girls. It was challenging to think of teaching disabled girls there. She also said, “I had to prove that I can do it at every study stage. I had to beg for one chance. The members of the Bangladesh Handicapped Welfare Association convinced my parents to let me go to Dhaka to study. This organization taught me the Braille method for the first time after the SSC exam. Slowly my parents started to understand the importance of my studies”.

During her stay in Bangladesh, Suraiya also served as an executive member of the Women with Disabilities Development Foundation. Suraiya also thanked the executive director of this organization, Ashrafun Nahar Mishti, who is also physically challenged. 

Speaking about the education of disabled people in Bangladesh and the United States, Suraiya said, “A disabled person in Bangladesh is reminded at every step – you are disabled, you cannot do it. However, the university where I did my Ph.D. has a disability-related resource center. It was the responsibility of the resource center to let me know who and how to contact for my disability. People with disabilities don’t have to worry about accessibility everywhere, including universities and sidewalks. When I walk here, cars stop for me. When I walk in the middle of the road, someone shows me the way. I am a disabled person; there is no more grief about it”.

Her husband, Mizanur Rahman, is always by Suraiya’s side. Suraiya said, “Not only my two sons but also my sister’s children can understand my limitations. My two-and-a-half-year-old son also takes my hand and tries to explain when he feels something or has a problem in any part of his body”.