"People were delighted to see the children sing and dance," says Dr Rownak Hafiz, chairperson of AWF. "Some parents were so moved that they wept." There were other positive features. "The programme revealed that even if some of the children cannot talk they can communicate through music and dance."

After the opening song, a select group of children sang and danced with Projapati, Prajapati kothai pele bhai emon rangeen pakha. Then came the children's song Amader deshta shapna puri. Another song and dance presented the distinctive features of Bangladeshi culture. Next was a song with a dance, called Nongor tolo tolo shomoi jey holo holo.

The music was followed by a fashion show of students who portrayed characters such as brides, bridegrooms, matchmakers, students of schools, universities and fishermen, among others. Finally, the curtains went down with the National Anthem.

Hard work went into putting up the show, recall AWF teachers. For the last two months, the students had gone through regular rehearsals. Even otherwise, they say, songs, dances, art, plays and physical exercise are an important part of the curriculum. The art forms go along with a self-help scheme where the students are taught how to look after themselves.

Autism is a brain-based developmental disorder. The degree or characteristics differ from one person another, however, those affected have impairment in social interaction, social communication and imagination.

Where to from here? Rownak and AWF visualise a larger complex of their own, which will enable them to increase student capacity from the current figure of 55 children. The other scheme is to enhance training of teachers through overseas trainers. The training will extend to teachers of other schools for the impaired and parents. "Our main ideology is to make the children as independent as possible. Children love music, dance and other art forms. Besides these art forms help socialisation of the children," says Rownak.