“The number of children and people with autistic conditions continues to rise — in every nation and in every racial, ethnic and social group”. -UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon
Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.
It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language. [The National Autistic Society]
The Daily Star News paper published my photo feature Climate Refugee of Bangladesh to their Monthly publication FORUM Vol. 4 Issue 10 October 2010. Please see see the link http://www.thedailystar.net/forum/2010/October/p_feature.htm
and would like to request send your opinion.
Climate change has touched every corner of the world and every aspect of our lives. As the global temperature increases, its impact will become even more extreme. As part of the initial effects of climate change, the world is already facing food and fuel crisis. The World Bank and IMF have sounded a more serious alarm: 100 million people in low-income countries will be pushed deeper into poverty.
In Bangladesh, we are experiencing rice crisis firsthand. The long queues in front of the subsidised rice sale centres are an indication of the impending disaster: 30 million people will face starvation.
Natural disasters like SIDR, constant river erosion, drought and flood have led to mass migration of people from the countryside to the cities. The migrants were lured by visions of money, food and a better life, but many of them till now have failed to realise their dreams. As a consequence, the rural poor have become the urban poor.
During the course of documenting the state of poverty in urban areas of the country, my investigation finally led me to the plight of the numerous climate refugees in Dhaka city. These are but a few glimpses of a much larger picture.
MONIRUL ALAM 