Speakers at a programme yesterday said inclusive step from the government is required to ensure rights of persons with disabilities in the country.
They said persons with disabilities are deprived of their due rights as they have limited access to different services, stressing effective district- and upazila-level committees working on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Besides, they stressed for ministry-wise budget allocation to implement the national action plan.
Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) organised the event at Dhaka Reporters Unity where braille versions of the government’s “2019 national plan of action for persons with disabilities” and a number of government gazettes for them were unveiled.
Addressing the event as chief guest, Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, state minister for social welfare, said the government is dedicatedly working to ensure rights of persons with disabilities.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is sincere when it comes to uphold rights of persons with disabilities.
In her speech, MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said a handful number of braille versions of the national action plan and gazettes were published, which will be distributed among visually-impaired people.
She urged the government to publish more copies of the braille version of the national action plan so that visually-impaired people can know well about their rights cited in the government document.
The government has good initiatives for persons with disabilities but those are not inclusive yet, said Shaheen Anam.
The government has to play a lead role in ensuring rights of persons with disabilities while rights groups can play supportive role to achieve the goal, she said.
She urged people to show a positive mindset towards persons with disabilities.
According to a keynote paper read out at the programme, the number of persons with disability in the country is about 25.5 lakh. Of them, 3.5 lakh are visually impaired.
Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, a visually-impaired person and founder trustee of Impact Foundation Bangladesh, said braille version in Bangla is not yet officially recognised in the country, stressing government initiative in this regard.
Shobnam Mushtary, a deputy secretary at social welfare ministry, said collaboration among different ministries is important to ensure rights of persons with disabilities.
Adaitya Kumar Roy, national project director at the Department of Social Services, among others, spoke at the event.
