Litun scores GPA-5 by holding a pen with her jaw  

Litun Jira was born without arms and legs. Her mother, Jahanara Khatun, wept bitterly after her birth. But she never gave up. With the support of her husband, teacher Habibur Rahman, Jahanara has stood by Litun like a shadow.

Today, this girl with physical disabilities has become a symbol of hope and achievement. She scored a GPA-5 from the science stream in this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination. She writes not with anyone’s help, but by holding a pen between her right forearm and her jaw.  

Litun lives in Sheikhpara Khanpur village of Monirampur upazila in Jashore. She appeared for the SSC exam from Gopalpur School and College in the same upazila. Her father, Habibur Rahman, is a lecturer in political science at Shaheed Muktijoddha AR Women’s College. Her mother is a homemaker.

Litun is the younger of two siblings. Her elder brother, Ishtiaq Ahmed, is a third-year biomedical engineering student at a private university in Dhaka. Litun dreams of becoming a doctor.  

“She was born without arms and legs on 25 June 2008,” said her mother, Jahanara Khatun. “I suffered a lot after her birth. I cried a great deal. But later, I decided not to let her become a burden to anyone.”   

Jahanara recalled, “When Litun was little, we used to sit her in front of a stool. A slate would be placed on it, and clay chalk put in front of her. She would hold the chalk with the forearm of her right arm and press it against her jaw to write on the slate. That’s how she learned to write. Now she uses a pen in the same way—holding it with her forearm and jaw to write in notebooks and take exams. She also draws pictures this way.” Jahanara added that Litun’s physical limitations never became a barrier to her education. In 2019, she scored GPA-5 in the Primary Education Completion Examination (PEC) and also earned a scholarship.  

Her father, Habibur Rahman, expressed his joy: “Litun’s handwriting is beautiful. She draws well too. She can recite poetry and sing songs. She regularly participated in a children's programme on Khulna Betar.”  

How did Litun attend school? Her parents explained that her primary school was nearby, so her mother would take her to and from school in a wheelchair. Her grandmother, Sufia Begum, would visit during recess to help feed her. For secondary school, which is two and a half kilometres away, her parents would take her by motorcycle every day. Her mother would sit behind and hold Litun in the middle.  

About her exam results, Litun said, “I am very happy. Besides my parents, my teachers and friends supported me a lot. I am grateful to all of them. I want to be a good person. I want to become a physician and serve people.”  

Rezaul Karim, Principal of Gopalpur School and College, said, “Her handwriting is clear and beautiful. She writes very fast. She draws beautifully and sings well. She performs exceptionally in creative competitions. We wish her every success in life.”