Speakers at a human chain cum street-corner meeting in Rajshahi on Tuesday emphasised the need for collective efforts of both the public and private organisations concerned for ensuring fundamental rights of people with disabilities.
Terming the disadvantaged people as the integral part of the society, they put emphasis on mainstreaming them through creating a disabled-friendly atmosphere.
Action on Disability and Development and District Badhan Protibandhi Sangstha jointly organised the meeting in front of the central zoo in the city to mark the World Human Rights Day-2013.
National Grassroots Disabled Organisations supported the programme.
Rajshahi City Corporation councillor Nuruzzaman Tuku and Rajshahi journalists’ union president Akbarul Hassan Millat addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively with DBPS president Sohel Rana in the chair.
Disabled Legal Aid Committee president Advocate Saifur Rahman Khan Rana and its Member Advocate Nasrin Akter Mita, Disabled Rights Protection Committee president Advocate Lokman Ali, ADD human rights facilitator Jahangir Alam and Protibandi Nari Bikash Sangstha general secretary Rozina Akter also spoke.
The speakers said the government alone isn’t capable for sustainable development of the disadvantaged community but the NGOs have a vital role in this regard as they have capacity to provide jobs to the disabled people.
The overall mindset of people towards people with disabilities should be changed as it’s adjudged as one of the major problems than that of the disability, they added.
-With New Age input
