# Meet Rabeya Khatun: 69-Year-Old Teaching Deaf Students Without Salary for 35 Years

> For 35 years, 69-year-old Rabeya Khatun has been teaching and caring for deaf students at the Dinajpur Deaf Institute without salary, living on a small local allowance. Despite poor facilities and unpaid teachers, she r…

Published: 2025-10-07 · Desk: Latest · Source: Prothom Alo

In a classroom on the ground floor of the Dinajpur Deaf Institute, dozens of students sit around their teacher, communicating through gestures and sounds like “a” and “u.” Their teacher, 69-year-old Rabeya Khatun, has been teaching and caring for deaf students for 35 years—without any government salary. She manages everything from their meals and hygiene to studies and sleep, receiving only a Tk 600 monthly allowance from local donations. Yet, she remains devoted, saying, “Where will I leave them? I’ve been bound by affection for 35 years and will stay by their side till the end.”

Rabeya, a mother of three sons—two of whom are speech-impaired—lost her husband in 2018. Understanding her children’s struggles helps her connect deeply with her students. The Deaf Institute was founded in 1989 by Badiul Alam in Dinajpur’s Gunjabari area after being encouraged by a Dhaka school to start one locally. With community support and land donated by Jubilee School, a small tin-shed school was built in 1990. Later, Khaleda Zia’s mother, Taiba Majumdar, became its president, and a five-story building was constructed in 2005.

Despite its history, the institute now faces severe challenges—broken facilities, unpaid teachers, and lack of sign language instructors. Out of 120 students, only 24 live in the hostel, guided by seven teachers and five staff members. Many teachers, like Rabeya and Nazneen Akhter, continue working without pay out of love for the children.

Parents say deaf students struggle to continue higher studies due to limited opportunities. Still, some graduates now work in banks or garment factories. Officials like SM Habibul Hasan, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur, have pledged to revive the institute, focusing on technical education and better support for teachers and students.

Original reporting: https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/ub00puriqh?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_cmwtpj937w
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