One billion people, or 15% of the worlds population, experience some form of disability, and disability prevalence is higher for developing countries. (Source: World Bank)

One-fifth of the estimated global total, or between 110 million and 190 million people, experience significant disabilities. There are thousands of children across Bangladesh, especially in remote regions, who do not have access to disability inclusive services and assistance.

Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Arafat is a triathlete, ultra distance runner and long distance swimmer. He is now racing to raise funds for BRAC's disability inclusion work and neuro-developmental disability centres as he goes on to compete in Ironman Malaysia. Neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) centres are dedicated centres that offer learning through play and appropriate therapy for children and young people with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

He is one of the first pioneers of endurance sports in Bangladesh, completing Ironman in 2017 - which involved a 3.80 km open water swim, followed by a 180 km cycling leg and finished with a marathon distance 42.2 km run. All of this is to be completed by 17 hours. In 2017, in Ironman Malaysia Langkawi, Arafat finished the race in 12 hours 43 minutes and placed 20th in his age category and 237th out of 885 participants. Before becoming an ironman, he raced from Teknaf to Tetulia, one end of Bangladesh to the other end, in a gruesome 1004 km race which he completed in 20 days to create awareness of good health through running and triathlons. This amounted to him running 50 km on average every day. He has swam the Bangla channel, Teknaf to Saint Martin's Island, a 16 km route 5 times till date. By profession, he is working in Bangladesh Bank. .