Bangladesh Economic Association President Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad speaks at a view exchange meeting on 'Rights of the people with disability in the national development policy' at Cirdap auditorium in the city yesterday. Prof Anisur Rahman, Khandaker Zahurul Alam and Dr Mohammad Farashuddin. National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled and Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad jointly organised the event.
Expressing their concern over the negative attitudes of society towards people with disabilities, speakers at a discussion have said little care and recognition can surely change the scenario.
The situation is such discriminatory towards the people with disabilities that only 4.0 percent physically challenged children are getting opportunities to go to schools whereas 80 percent of them have ability to go to schools and learn, they added.
The discussion titled 'Recognition of people with disabilities in national development policy and budget allocation' was jointly organised by National Forum for Organisations Working with Disabilities (NFOWD) and Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad at the Cirdap auditorium in the city on Sunday.
Bangladesh Economic Association President Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman said only 4.0 percent of the children with disabilities are getting the opportunity for education while 80 percent of them have the ability to study at the mainstream schools.
Mentioning lacking of proper data, Dr Kholiquzzaman while presenting the keynote paper said the government should collect information on people with disabilities during census.
He further said "The government allocated Tk 898 crore in the last budget for them. But there was no specific guideline on how this fund should be spent."
According to a survey by NFOWD and Handicap International in 2005, a total of 5.6 percent of the total population lives with some kinds of disabilities.
Among them, 32.2 percent are visually challenged, 27.8 percent are physically challenged, 18.7 percent are hearing impaired, 6.7 percent are intellectually disabled, 3.9 percent are speech impaired and 10.7 percent are living with multiple disabilities.
During the open discussion, people with disabilities and those working with them expressed their views, suggestions and emotions on what should be done.
Osman Khaled, a hearing impaired architect, said if sign language is used for the hearing impaired at all levels, they can easily study and work with the mainstream people.
"During my visit to several schools for the hearing impaired across the country, I saw that most of the teachers of these schools do not know sign language. They do not have proper training and are teaching the students the way they think is fine. There is no monitoring system at the government level," said Khaled.
Solaiman, a visually challenged person, used to do a programme 'Prottoy' at Bangladesh Betar for people with disabilities, said the programme discontinued since June 2006 due to lack of budget allocation.
Kazi Abdul Gafur, a visually challenged teacher at The Salvation Army, an integrated children centre at Savar, said more accountability is needed while working with people with disabilities.
National Association of Sports for People with Disabilities (NASPD) President MA Baten said at least one playground should be allocated for the sports of children with disabilities.
Economist Anisur Rahman was present at the programme as the chief guest and NFOWD President Dr Md Farashuddin as the special guest with NFOWD President Khandakar Jahurul Alam in the chair.
Jatiya Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation Managing Director Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury, NFOWD Secretary General Jawaherul Islam Mamun, Mahbub Kabir of ActionAid Bangladesh, Assistant Prof Sharmind Nilormi of Economics Department at Jahangirnagar University, Director (acting) SM Keramat Ali of Media Centre at Bangladesh Open University, former education minister Dr Osman Farruq and former lawmakers Col (Retd) Faruq Khan, Rashed Khan Menon and GM Quader took part in the discussion.
__._,_.___ Expressing their concern over the negative attitudes of society towards people with disabilities, speakers at a discussion have said little care and recognition can surely change the scenario.
The situation is such discriminatory towards the people with disabilities that only 4.0 percent physically challenged children are getting opportunities to go to schools whereas 80 percent of them have ability to go to schools and learn, they added.
The discussion titled 'Recognition of people with disabilities in national development policy and budget allocation' was jointly organised by National Forum for Organisations Working with Disabilities (NFOWD) and Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad at the Cirdap auditorium in the city on Sunday.
Bangladesh Economic Association President Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman said only 4.0 percent of the children with disabilities are getting the opportunity for education while 80 percent of them have the ability to study at the mainstream schools.
Mentioning lacking of proper data, Dr Kholiquzzaman while presenting the keynote paper said the government should collect information on people with disabilities during census.
He further said "The government allocated Tk 898 crore in the last budget for them. But there was no specific guideline on how this fund should be spent."
According to a survey by NFOWD and Handicap International in 2005, a total of 5.6 percent of the total population lives with some kinds of disabilities.
Among them, 32.2 percent are visually challenged, 27.8 percent are physically challenged, 18.7 percent are hearing impaired, 6.7 percent are intellectually disabled, 3.9 percent are speech impaired and 10.7 percent are living with multiple disabilities.
During the open discussion, people with disabilities and those working with them expressed their views, suggestions and emotions on what should be done.
Osman Khaled, a hearing impaired architect, said if sign language is used for the hearing impaired at all levels, they can easily study and work with the mainstream people.
"During my visit to several schools for the hearing impaired across the country, I saw that most of the teachers of these schools do not know sign language. They do not have proper training and are teaching the students the way they think is fine. There is no monitoring system at the government level," said Khaled.
Solaiman, a visually challenged person, used to do a programme 'Prottoy' at Bangladesh Betar for people with disabilities, said the programme discontinued since June 2006 due to lack of budget allocation.
Kazi Abdul Gafur, a visually challenged teacher at The Salvation Army, an integrated children centre at Savar, said more accountability is needed while working with people with disabilities.
National Association of Sports for People with Disabilities (NASPD) President MA Baten said at least one playground should be allocated for the sports of children with disabilities.
Economist Anisur Rahman was present at the programme as the chief guest and NFOWD President Dr Md Farashuddin as the special guest with NFOWD President Khandakar Jahurul Alam in the chair.
Jatiya Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation Managing Director Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury, NFOWD Secretary General Jawaherul Islam Mamun, Mahbub Kabir of ActionAid Bangladesh, Assistant Prof Sharmind Nilormi of Economics Department at Jahangirnagar University, Director (acting) SM Keramat Ali of Media Centre at Bangladesh Open University, former education minister Dr Osman Farruq and former lawmakers Col (Retd) Faruq Khan, Rashed Khan Menon and GM Quader took part in the discussion.
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