[accessbangla] Bangladesh takes backward-looking decisions on disability issues!

  • From: "Mahbub Kabir" <mahbub.lcdbangla@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: nfowdpresident@xxxxxxxxx, faisal.majid@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, rabeya.sultana@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, farah.kabir@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, sayema.chowdhury@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, effat.ara@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, nafees1962@xxxxxxxxx, zamanrafiqbd@xxxxxxxxx, zahid.nfowd@xxxxxxxxx, csid@xxxxxxxxxx, vashkar79@xxxxxxxxxxx, accessbangla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, csid@xxxxxxxxxxxx, cdd@xxxxxxxxxx, amlan89@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, utsabd@xxxxxxxxx, grambangla@xxxxxxxxx, fazlul.azim@xxxxxxxxxx, mtanvir.aspbae@xxxxxxxxx, anamul.haque@xxxxxxxxxx, cbpb@xxxxxxxx, julian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, cdc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, ashraf.dowla@xxxxxxxxx, gbar@xxxxxxx, nkabir@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, loveluaab@xxxxxxxxx, iswr@xxxxxxxxxxx, duregsr@xxxxxxxxxx, baaigm@xxxxxxxxxx, suja5102@xxxxxxxxx, shahadatparvez@xxxxxxxxx, ifty1990@xxxxxxxxx, ganiadam@xxxxxxxxx, mzamin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, newage@xxxxxxxxxx, bmsf@xxxxxxxxx, paulmohua@xxxxxxxxx, awf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, rownak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, DISABILITYGROUP@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, SHIRSHBERG@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Rajendra K R" <rajendra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gopal Mitra, Manager - Inclusive Education" <gopal.mitra@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Programme Officer - LCI South Asia" <barkha.henry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:05:53 +0600

Dear Colleagues,
Sharing an off-putting news with you: We got to know from reliable sources
that the meeting of Committee of Secretaries of Govt. of Bangladesh this
morning has formally refused the proposed Amendment of "Rules of Business"
of different Ministries of Government of Bangladesh, which was one of the
 long-awaited and fundamental demands of disability movement in Bangladesh.
The meeting rather suggested the Ministry of Social Welfare to
perpetuate its age-old practice of doing welfare for the persons with
disabilities, the largest minority group of the country. Those who are not
aware of the matter: According to the present Rules of Business (job
description of Ministries), Ministry of Social Welfare is solely responsible
for anything related to the persons with disabilities, e.g., education,
health, training, employment, the issues of women, children with
disabilities...! The meeting has also discouraged the initiatives of
changing the name of Ministry of Social Welfare and formulation of a new
rights-based law for persons with disabilities in light of UNCRPD ignoring
the Chief Advisor's specific recommendations and strong demand by the
disability rights movement in this respect. The decision simply disregards
the people's aspirations and their right to development and fails to uphold
Bangladesh's own commitment to the international community! How this
country is going to implement the CRPD, which has ratified the Convention
along with its Optional Protocol? NFOWD, the network of organisations
working on the issues of disability has been advocating for more than a
decade for this change. We are disappointed, embarrassed and therefore
strongly protest this decision and appeal to all our friends, colleagues,
supporters and development partners to raise your voice against
this backward-looking step of the government, from wherever you are!
Yes to Convention!
Yes to Human Rights!
Yes to change!
In solidarity!

mahbub
Director/LCDDB

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