Bangladesh moving to Disability not inability

The Prime Minister called upon all to be more careful to the disabled and the autistic children to flourish their latent talent. "They would be able to contribute more for the development of society if they get scope from society in this regard" The PM also 'called upon the private sector to appoint more disabled persons in private services'. She said 'the disabled students have to be provided scope so that they could take admission in the schools in their respective areas and taking higher education.' She called the attention of all concerned 'to keep space for them while constructing buildings and other establishments to smoothen their movements.'

The role of the state in the empowerment of the disables is clear-cut. The government of the state mulls steps to create conditions conducive to the empowerment of the disabled enabling them to fully use their creativity and talents. The PM directed the concerned administration to 'implement the 10 per cent quota reserved in recruiting disabled persons against class three and class four posts and one percent quota in class one category jobs in government services' As reveled by the PM 'a development project titled "Promotion of Services and Opportunities to the Disabled Persons in Bangladesh' is being implemented at a cost of Taka 155 crore under National Disabled Development Foundation'.

So the government seeks to address the issues of disability with specific programmes of action. The programes also include health and welfare components, education, and occupational skill development and computer facilities. A number of international conferences ( general assembly session 1982, ESCAP declaration 1993, UN Convention on Child Rights, 1993) mandated the government to organize all out efforts to help out the helpless as a mark of unequivocal commitment to international declarations and concerns about disables. Policy advocacy for the handicaps include among others: employment, recreation, amusement, transport and easy movement and other privileges for the disables. There are rehabilitation centers for the disables with specific promotional and humanitarian activities. 

The number of handicaps is about one crore and a half constituting about 10 per cent of the total population. This numerical growth in geometric progression is really a matter of grave concern for the government and non government development agencies. Among the disables many are mentally retarded. 42 per cent of the disability cases are sight-related, 20 per cent hearing-related, 18 per cent physically handicapped. A few unfortunates have been rendered disables due to accident, disease and vitamin A deficiency. Disability is a kind of mental/physical obsession. It may occur to any one in every family either by birth or by accident. To-day one is able even going strong with sound health and sound mind. To-morrow he or she may meet accident to become crippled. 

We should bear it in mind that disability is a state of disability not inability. A man or woman, being disabled, may live in hapless condition for some time. But community sympathy and co-operation help him/her a lot in meeting the challenge of stressful life. A disabled person has possessed incredible ability with firm determination to face heavy odds of every day life. 

The state of disability is not a handicap to participation in development. It does not deter professional development and career building. If the disabled persons are provided with a modicum of aid they can stage a come back to normal life. This is a heroic come back with enhanced ability to find way out of the knot of dependency. They can raise their skills like a normal person through training and logistic supports. After training they have shown much potential as assets rather than liabilities working hard with a good deal of devotion in any job calling for the use of their relative expertise and training. Once they take position in any service they do things with a sense of responsibility. They are not insincere workers not playing truant like many a job holder without disability. They think constructively avoiding any association with obnoxious activities. 

There are numerous reports about the astounding performance of the handicaps in service sector and socio-cultural functions. They cannot be expected to perform miracle. But they have been able to make it to our utter astonishment. They prove to be more sincere and efficient in public and social service than many normal persons. This is because of motivation and determination to leap forward despite numerous hazards and obstacles. They nourishes a definitely a pragmatic orientation to life with perseverance and self-confidence and will power. Amra karba joy (we will win, the slogan, is a source of inspiration to them.

So disability is not a curse. It is a blessing in disguise. It enables a person to nurture his dormant human potentials and hidden talents. He turns out to rise to scale with tenacity and self-confidence. Many among the persons either disables by birth or by accident have been able to make their marks in social service at the national and international levels. Some among them became famous reaching the height of prominence as real talents. In UK David Blanket, a home Minster during the incumbency of Prime Minister Tony Blair is a sight-related disabled person. . Also he was a successful education minister of Blair government. Another sight-related disabled person-33 years American citizen Erick Owen-won Everest. Mufti A. Azim Bin Abdullah Bin Baz, another disabled person wrote many research books on religion. He happened to become the Director General in the Ministry of religious affairs in Saudi Arabia. In Bangladesh the disables have set the glaring examples of being involved in electoral activities. Among the voters about 79 lakhs are disabled. Many of the disables took part as election observers. Some among them have the background of being the members of the parliament

So disability is not inability but 'differently ability'.

Students with disabilities drop out due to lack of disability facilities in Saudi Arabia

The majority of schools in Riyadh lack the facilities to improve the mobility of physically disabled students, a study has revealed.

It said about 86 percent of boys and girls’ schools lack special ramps for wheelchairs and about 93 percent do not have suitable toilets for the disabled.


The study was conducted by a team of researchers headed by Dr. Amer Al-Mutair from King Saud University in Riyadh with the support of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.


A significant number of disabled students dropped out of school due to the lack of facilities. They claimed that the school environment was not appropriate and increased the burden on their families.


The researchers have called on the Ministry of Education to find out why facilities for people with special needs have not been included in the plans for school buildings.


The research team also asked schools to accept special needs children and to hire qualified teachers and physicians to help them.


The study cited research from the World Health Organization, which revealed people with some form of disability accounted for over 10 percent of the total population.


The study also referred to the fact that the Kingdom has a high proportion of young people and that there is a lack of statistics and studies on disabled people in the country.


The study focused on how to accommodate disabled children in schools after providing them with the most appropriate environment, in addition to removing obstacles to future academic success and enrollment.


The research data was collated using several surveys distributed to all public schools in Riyadh.


Researchers also visited some schools and interviewed special needs students and their families.