Dhaka, 02 Oct 2019: ‘We are about 27 million disabled people in Bangladesh are part of the families of more than 80 million people. These huge numbers of population are somehow involved with different Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs). We, the disabled people have been in peaceful movement led by NADPO for more than 15 years to increase status and implementing different human rights activities with belief in “A mother does not feed unless baby does not cry’’. We create awareness among the responsible people government and non-government level including general people of Bangladesh. A few policies are formulated in the country, but proper implementation is absence. There is no remarkable change in considering of our needs and access to development till today. The change we found that mostly happen because of DPOs corporations with their own efforts. The country is progressing at some way, but disabled persons are not enjoying/benefiting the development progress. The infrastructures, transports, health services including education system are not disability type wise friendly to disabled persons; as a result, we cannot use them. The leaders and responsible parties of the country are aware of disabled persons and their issues, but still disabled persons are victim of negligence and discrimination at everywhere and dependable on their mercy. The fact is that there is none of representatives of disabled persons in the National Parliament and the in Political Parties. The roads, transports, information/data in the country are not disabled persons’ friendly/appropriate. Inclusion of disabled persons’ in employment and accessible workplace are less than 1% in the country.
‘We held meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and other Ministers plus all government authorities and submitted written proposals to them, but the government has not considered the demands. Though government receives BDT 20 thousand crore of direct and indirect tax every year from disabled persons. We have 10million of disabled voters, we influence another 50millions voters that is our family members in the country. Even, with the status of our number of votes, citizen role and tax, the government has not valued us as equal citizens.
‘As citizens we are owner of the country, but we are not enjoying the facilities as citizens. Due to political violence, accident and other reasons, the number of disabled persons is increasing day by day, but there are no disabled persons are there at decision making level to represents us and there is no opportunity for the same. We are unable accept the situation.
‘We have lost our patience. Therefore, we are holding press conference, human chains, and rallies around Bangladesh secretariat and mass contact rally at street to draw the attention of the government, citizens, press media, journalists, the state and responsible people to our logical 5-point demand.
‘The five demands are:
1. Reserve 10% seat in the National Parliament and 2 seats in every tiers of Local Government for disabled representatives.
2. The government receives tax from disabled persons out of which it should allocate 10% money for implementation of empowerment and development program of DPOs.
3. Ensure all infrastructures, transports, health centers including education and public programmes are disabled-persons appropriate and accessible.
4. All Universities of the country should open “Disabled Persons & Development Department” to create higher educated professionals on affairs of disabled persons.
5. Take representatives from NADPO in the formulation process of policies, plans and programmes on rights and development of disabled persons.
‘We believe, the implementation of the abovementioned demands would ensure improved socio-economic status of disabled persons with their equal rights, opportunities and participations that ultimately with contributed to progress the development and advancement of the country. Finally, Bangladesh will be a developed and dignified country in the world and will fulfill the dream of independent of Bangladesh.’
Source: National Alliance of Disabled People’s Organizations (NADPO). The 4-day rallies ended on Oct 02 Wednesday in Dhaka with a 20-kilometre march from the South Plaza of Parliament Building to the Topkhana Road via Dhaka Univeristy and Dhaka South City Corporation gates, Gulistan, Motijheel, Kakrail Mosque and Matsya Bhaban.
