For six years, Liton from Sherpur has been walking again — thanks to a low-cost artificial leg he received from the TMSS Artificial Limb and Brace Fitting Center in Bogura. After a tragic road accident claimed one of his legs and his daughter Lamia’s leg, both received prosthetic limbs from the center at almost no cost. Today, Liton runs a small tea stall, while Lamia, now a sixth-grader, walks to school every day.
Like Liton, Shahin Alam of Kahaloo lost his leg in a motorcycle accident last July. At the TMSS center, he received a prosthetic leg for only Tk 10,000 — a fraction of the Tk 65,000–70,000 charged elsewhere.
Located in Bogura’s Thengamara area, the TMSS Medical College and Rafatullah Community Hospital’s Artificial Limb and Brace Fitting Center has been providing prosthetic limbs at nominal or no cost for the past five years. Since its establishment in 2020, more than 3,000 patients have received artificial hands and legs, making it the first institution of its kind in northern Bangladesh.
Most patients are accident victims or diabetic amputees, while many children suffer from congenital disabilities. The center offers modern prosthetic limbs at a third of the typical cost — for instance, a below-knee artificial leg costs Tk 20,000 compared to over Tk 70,000 in Dhaka. Cosmetic hands cost Tk 18,000 locally, while similar devices in the capital can exceed Tk 60,000. Functional hands, which enable movement, cost around Tk 65,000 in Bogura but up to Tk 250,000 elsewhere.
Each prosthetic limb is custom-made using modern technology and materials such as plastic, foam, EVA, and POP, following World Health Organization guidelines. Skilled technicians design each limb based on the patient’s physical condition and work environment. Imported components such as pylons, footplates, and knee joints ensure quality and durability.
TMSS Limb Center head Mohammad Shafik said the goal is to help accident victims and people with disabilities regain confidence and independence. “We want them to live normal lives — socially and psychologically — like everyone else,” he said.
The center also provides assistive devices for children with disabilities and spinal braces for patients with curvature of the spine, which can achieve up to 90% recovery after three to four years of use.
Dr. Md. Matiur Rahman, Deputy Executive Director of TMSS Bogura, said the initiative runs with support from Rotary Club of Ramna, Rotary International, and Australian NRB. “TMSS stands by the helpless. We provide artificial limbs at one-third of the normal cost — and completely free for those who can’t afford it,” he added.
