It should be treated as right, not welfare in regards to budget allocation for the people with disability. The government should give special attention to the people with disabilities in national budget 2016-17. Speakers said in an advocacy meeting on “Person with disability Friendly National Budget 2016-17″ held at Chittagong Press Club on April 27, 2016 jointly arranged by YPSA, Access Bangladesh and Sitakund Federation of DPOs with the support of Disability Rights Fund (DRF).
Professor Dr Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Chittagong University was present as a Chief Guest while Md. Mahabubur Rahman, Director (SDP) of YPSA presided over the meeting. Professor Dr. Shirin Akter Pro -VC of Chittagong University, Chowdhury Hasan Mahmud Hasni, Panel Mayor of CCC, Albart Mollah CE of Access BD were present in the program. Vashkar Battacharjee, Head of the ICT and Resource Centre on Disabilities (IRCD) of YPSA moderated the meeting.
The Government of Bangladesh ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD legally binds States Parties like Bangladesh to fulfill its obligations. But people with disability are still being discriminated in various ways in the country. One of the big instances is insufficient budget allocation for the person with disability. Disability related law, policy and work plan exist but insufficient budget for its proper implementation. No sufficient budget remains for Infrastructural reformation of educational institutes, teacher’s training, brail and educational assistive devices for PWDs. Speakers said in the meeting.
Albert Molla said in his presentation of keynote paper that according to the ratio of person with disability and country’s total population, minimum 50 Billion Taka allocation for the person with disability in national budget is reasonable.
