Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday pledged a range of measures to improve the lives of persons with disabilities, including increasing allowances, creating employment opportunities, improving access to public services and considering reserved representation in Parliament.
“We have started working, though I cannot say how much we will be able to do. But I can assure you that you will receive the highest possible cooperation from us,” he said.
The prime minister made the remarks at an exchange of views with the Bangladesh Protibondhi Kallyan Samity (BPKS) at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office.
He said the government would stand beside persons with disabilities and work to ensure they could live with dignity and enjoy their rights.
Tarique Rahman said the government had increased disability allowances to some extent, although the amount might not meet recipients’ full needs.
“We will take initiatives to increase their allowances in the future, considering the financial capacity of the state, so that they can live somewhat more comfortably,” he said.
The prime minister said he would instruct the relevant authorities within the next couple of days to explore introducing sign-language services at government offices and courts to help people with hearing and speech impairments communicate and access services.
He said he would also ask the Health Ministry to consider providing sign-language support at hospitals so patients with such disabilities could communicate their medical needs.
Tarique directed the Social Welfare Ministry to explore ways to expand skills training, including information technology training, and create more employment opportunities to help persons with disabilities become economically self-reliant.
He also said he would ask the Education Ministry to consider creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in educational institutions.
The prime minister said he would instruct the relevant authorities to examine the possibility of extending the age limit for applicants with disabilities seeking government jobs by at least one or two years.
On public transport, he said the government would explore ways to improve access for women with disabilities on newly introduced pink buses and consider introducing dedicated buses for persons with disabilities in Dhaka and other major cities.
Tarique said instructions had already been issued to ensure accessibility features were incorporated into building designs, adding that plans lacking such provisions would not be approved under the relevant approval process. The requirements would apply to both government and private buildings, he said.
He also pledged to ask the Agriculture Ministry to consider special support for farmers with disabilities and the statistics authorities to establish a more accurate count of persons with disabilities in the country.
On demands for representation in Parliament, the prime minister said the issue involved constitutional considerations and required discussion within his party.
If feasible, he said, the government would consider arrangements for representation by a woman and a man with disabilities.
Tarique welcomed a proposal to provide legal assistance to persons with disabilities and said a memorandum of understanding had been signed among the relevant ministries to facilitate such support.
He expressed hope that the agreement would help advance efforts to ensure access to legal assistance.
The prime minister said many people had not received the support and opportunities they needed, adding that both the government and society had a responsibility towards persons with disabilities and other communities requiring additional support.
“You have the same right as everyone else to live with dignity,” he said, expressing hope that the government would be able to address at least some of the challenges raised at the meeting.
During the programme, the prime minister met persons with disabilities and listened to their problems and demands.
Around 30 persons with disabilities and representatives of organisations working for them spoke at the meeting, which was moderated by BPKS Founder and Executive Director Abdus Sattar Dulal.
They called for increased budgetary allocations, skills development, political participation, involvement in decision-making and expanded employment opportunities.
During the meeting, para-athlete Mohammad Mohsin presented a cap to the prime minister as a gift.
Tarique came down from the stage to receive it and assured Mohsin that he would support his team in participating in sporting events abroad.
At the end of the programme, the prime minister joined a group photograph with the participants at their request.
Social Welfare, and Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain, State Minister Barrister Farzana Sharmin and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar attended the meeting.