Govt to revise disability rights law thru consultation: State minister

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit has said the existing rights and protection of Persons with Disabilities Act will be revised through consultations with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations.

He noted that the issue of disability was not confined solely to the Ministry of Social Welfare in the current government's election manifesto, said a press release.

He added that, within the past four months, the government had already undertaken several initiatives to advance the rights and development of persons with disabilities.

The state minister made these remarks as the chief guest at a stakeholder dialogue held on Saturday at BRAC Centre in the capital’s Mohakhali. The dialogue, titled "Towards an Inclusive Bangladesh: Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Way Forward", was organised jointly by BRAC and the Bangladesh Society for Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN) as part of the National Dialogue on Disability Inclusion.

Muhit said that significant progress had been made in many areas relating to the rights of persons with disabilities. Building an inclusive Bangladesh for persons with disabilities is part of the BNP government's political agenda, he said.

To fulfil the commitments outlined in the election manifesto, government and non-government stakeholders must work together. The government is taking steps to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities across the programmes and initiatives of every ministry, he added.

Measures will also be taken to ensure appropriate working environments for persons with disabilities who are capable of employment, he further said.

The state minister currently serves as vice-chair of the Steering Committee on Disability Rights and Service Protection, which was recently formed under the leadership of the prime minister and comprises state ministers from various ministries.

During the dialogue, he informed participants that another committee had been established, comprising secretaries of the relevant ministries, to oversee the implementation of the Steering Committee's directives.

The dialogue was chaired by Shashwatee Biplob, associate director of BRAC's Social Empowerment and Legal Protection and Gender Justice and Diversity Programme.

She said that considerable work remained to be done to realise the rights of persons with disabilities. Having legislation alone is not enough; effective implementation is equally important.

The government's election manifesto and recent initiatives reflect its commitment to advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, she added.

The keynote paper was presented by Zahidul Kabir, lead of Gender Justice and Diversification, Disability Inclusion at BRAC. The presentation highlighted the lack of reliable disability statistics in Bangladesh.

Although the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act was enacted in 2013, the implementation of its provisions remains disappointing. While the approved action plan assigns specific responsibilities to 35 ministries and divisions, implementation efforts have been limited.

Insufficient budget allocations and a lack of accountability among those responsible for enforcing the law continue to hinder the meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream society.

Among those present at the event was Arinjoy Dhar, senior director of Microfinance and Technology at BRAC. The dialogue was moderated by Salma Mahbub, general secretary of the Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN).

Representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities from across the country participated in the discussion, alongside university students with disabilities and representatives from various development organisations.

The welcome address was delivered by Masuma Billah, programme head of the Gender Justice and Diversity Programme of BRAC.

Speakers at the dialogue noted that persons with disabilities continue to face attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers at every stage of life.

Read More

Govt committed to taking effective tobacco control measures: Ziauddin Hyder

They emphasised that the experiences and perspectives of persons with disabilities must be placed at the centre of policymaking and implementation efforts if an inclusive Bangladesh is to be achieved.

They also called for the establishment of an independent directorate to coordinate disability-related initiatives across different ministries and departments.

Furthermore, they urged the amendment of the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, stronger measures for its implementation, and greater accountability for those responsible for enforcing it.