ALAMDANGA, Chuadanga — Many people treat disability as a burden and turn to begging or dependence on others, but Mangal Mia of Chuadanga has chosen a different path. Blind in both eyes, he earns his own living and fights every day to stay self-reliant.
A resident of Purapara village in Ailhans union of Alamdanga upazila, Mangal Mia has been without sight for about 35 years. From his speech, movement and work, no one would guess he cannot see, neighbors said.
Each morning, he rises, picks up a walking stick and heads out alone. Without assistance, he opens his small shop, where he repairs bicycles, water pumps, shallow irrigation engines and even power tillers.
Locals are astonished at his skill and self-confidence. People from several surrounding villages depend solely on him to fix their shallow engines, tube wells and power tillers. He can identify the value of banknotes by touch and can memorize a phone number after hearing it once.
Residents said Mangal Mia is a hard-working and skilled mechanic and that his blindness has never held him back. People travel long distances to bring their machines to him for repair.
“I have not been able to see for about 35 years now,” Mangal Mia said. “As a child I learned to repair bicycles. Later I learned to fix shallow engines and power tillers. I even worked with electricity for a time. I do everything alone. So far I have installed more than 100,000 tube wells.”
Unable to see, Mangal Mia still spreads the light of work and life, residents said. His determination and effort show that with willpower, blindness need not be a barrier but can become a source of inspiration.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report