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It was just an ordinary day at work for Bangladeshi taxi driver Nur Al Ahlam Sultan Ahmad, 34.
But his extraordinary act of carrying a person of determination in his arms from a wheelchair and helping him sit in the car caught the attention of netizens and earned praise from Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Tuesday, the unassuming taxi driver, who has been working at Arabia Taxi for almost seven years, said he was just doing his job.
"It happened last Sunday afternoon in Garhoud. The rain had just ceased and I saw a mother and her son waiting for a ride," Ahmad said. "A couple of taxis passed by but they already had passengers. I did not hesitate for a moment to stop my car at the kerb; I immediately got out of my car to carry the 17-year-old Emirati young man from his wheelchair into the taxi. I also carried the wheelchair and put it in the taxi compartment and we headed off to Latifa Hospital."
His "ordinary" incident was caught on video and uploaded on social media by an anonymous Dubai resident. The short clip was less than 10 seconds, but it has gone viral and made a lasting impression on netizens.
On Monday morning, Ahmad said he received a call from the RTA telling him to meet Mattar Al Tayer, RTA director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors.
Ahmad was awarded "for his humanitarian initiative, which comes in accordance with the principles the RTA strives to instil in its employees," RTA posted on its official Instagram page.
Al Tayer handed Ahmad a special appreciation certificate and a generous cash reward. The RTA said: "Ahmad's behaviour inspires trust on the part of RTA customers towards the services provided by the Dubai government, as well as encourages commuting via taxis in Dubai." Ahmad said he's very happy with the award and the cash incentive, which he gave immediately to his wife, Sameera, to share with their two daughters Sadia, 13, and Shaheen, 9 in Ajman.
Khaleej Times also learned that Ahmad is no stranger to receiving awards. He has previously received the highest income award in 2013, an accident-free award in 2015, and another RTA recognition for giving the best customer satisfaction. Ahmad is also a safe driver - his record is perfect with zero accidents in the past six years.
Ahmad, a UAE resident for the past two decades, moved here when he was 12 to help his uncle run a tailoring shop in the Deira Old Souk. He said: "I'm content with my life in the UAE. I have a happy family, a roof over our heads and a stable job to provide for our everyday needs."
"I did not realise that someone was recording me when I carried the boy - I was just doing my job and I got rewarded for it. But the best reward I got that day was when my mother prayed for me, asking God to keep me safe always on the road," he concluded.
angel@khaleejtimes.com
The video posted on Instagram is garnering praises for the driver.
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