Country 1/ Background Statistics Human development index rank GNI per capita (PPP in US$) Life expectancy at birth

(years) Mean years of schooling (years) Expected years of schooling (years) Total population 129 1 1,587 1 66.9 1 4.8 1 8.1 1 148,692,000 2 2/ Disability Statistics Population of persons with disabilities Proportion of persons with disabilities to total population Employment rate of persons with disabilities Access to education

Bangladesh

At least 7,000,000 3, a 5.6 per cent 3, b .. c Access of education for the children with disabilities is less than 4 per cent 4 3/ Definitions

Definition of disability

.. Disability Welfare Act (2001, sect. 3, para. 1) Disability means any person who is physically crippled either congenitally or as result of disease or being a victim of accident, or due to improper or maltreatment or for any other reasons became physically incapacitated or mentally imbalanced, and as a result of such crippledness or mental impairedness, has become incapacitated, either partially or fully; and is unable to lead a normal life. ..

Definition of persons with disabilities

Categories of impairment

4/ Commitment to International Instruments on Disability Ratification or signatory of the Convention Signed Convention on 9 May 2007; on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Ratified Convention on 30 November 2007; (CRPD), and its Optional Protocol Ratified Optional Protocol 12 May 2008 5 Ratification of ILO Convention 159 No 6 Ratification or signatory of the Convention No 7 on Cluster Munitions Ratification or signatory of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Signed Convention on 7 May 1998; Production and Transfer of AntiRatified Convention on 6 September 2000 8 Personnel Mines and on their Destruction 5/ Legal Framework

Country Constitutional provisions Disability-specific laws Comprehensive Sectoral Disability-inclusive laws

Bangladesh Constitution of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh (2004, part II, sect. 15) Disability Welfare Act (2001) Rules for distribution of disable allowance Bangladesh National Building Code (1993) 6/ Policy Framework

Disability-specific policies Comprehensive Sectoral Disability-inclusive National Policy on Disability (2004); Five-year National Action Plan on Disability (2006) .. Cover: education; poverty reduction 7/ Institutional Framework The national coordination mechanism or disability focal point
Sources: 1. 2. 3. United Nations Development Programme (2010). Human Development Report 2010 (New York, UNDP). United Nations (2011). World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision, accessed from http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm on 18 July 2011. National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) (2005). Community Based Rehabilitation Practices and alleviation of Poverty of people with disabilities in Bangladesh, paper presented at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities Bangkok, 5 July 2005, accessed from www.worldenable.net/cbr2005/paperbangladesh.htm#_ftn1 on 20 September 2010. Disabled Rehabilitation & Research Association (DRRA) (2003). Bangladesh: Towards rightbase approaches for the Persons with Disabilities, paper presented at the Expert Group Meeting and Seminar on an International Convention to Protect and Promote the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, 2-4 June 2003, accessed from www.worldenable.net/bangkok2003/paperbangladesh2.htm on 20 July 2009. United Nations (2011). Convention and Optional Protocol Signatures and Ratifications, on the United Nations Enable website, accessed from www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp? navid=12&pid=166 on 17 October 2011. International Labour Organization (2011). Convention No. C 159, accessed from www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/ratifce.pl?C159 on 18 July 2011. Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) (2008). Ratifications and Signatures, accessed from www.clusterconvention.org/ratifications-and-signatures on 17 October 2011. Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of AntiPersonnel Mines and on their Destruction (1997). State Parties and Signatories, accessed from www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/ (httpPages)/6E65F97C9D695724C12571C0003D09EF?OpenDocument on 17 October 2011.

National Coordinating Committee under the Ministry of Social Welfare

4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

Notes: a. According to the National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD), statistics on the prevalence of disability in the country has always been a matter of debate. Till date there is no data on disability matters that is widely accepted by all concerned.

Government findings based on surveys conducted in 1982, 1986 and 1998 estimated a national prevalence rate of 0.64 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 1.60 per cent. Incidentally, sample surveys conducted by national and international NGOs in the country found prevalence rates to be much higher than Government findings. Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallayan Samity (BPKS) records disability prevalence rate at 7.8 per cent, Action-Aid Bangladesh and Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable put the figure at 8.8 per cent. A recently conducted Prevalence study of Handicap International (HI) and NFOWD on a sample population of 13,205 people all over Bangladesh found 5.6 per cent as prevalence rate of disability. Some international statistics that are considered while calculating the prevalence rate of disability in the country are UN estimation that 5 per cent of world population is people with disabilities and World Health Organizations estimation that this figure is 10 per cent. If these figures are calculated for Bangladesh, the number of people with disabilities should range from a minimum of 7 million to a maximum of 14 million, based on the countrys population of 140 million. (NFOWD 2005) b. Based on estimates by Handicap International and NFOWD in Disability in Bangladesh: Prevalence, Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices. c. A study entitled Employment Situation on (sic) Persons with Disabilities in Bangladesh was conducted by an NGO in September 2002, and included 452 persons with disabilities who were employed or had the skills or education essential for employment. Of these respondents, 66 per cent were found to be self-employed. The Government employed 5 per cent of the working respondents; non-governmental organizations employed 17 per cent. The rest were employed in the private sector. (ESCAP 2006, Q 12.1)

Comprehensive 1. Definitions
a) Disability .. b) Persons with disabilities The Persons with Disability Welfare Act (2001) provides the following definitions: Disability means any person who is physically crippled either congenitally or as result of disease or being a victim of accident, or due to improper or maltreatment or for any other reasons became physically incapacitated or mentally imbalanced, and as a result of such crippledness or mental impairedness, has become incapacitated, either partially or fully; and is unable to lead a normal life. (Bangladesh 2001, sect. 3, para. 1) c) Categories of impairment ..

2. Legal framework
a) Constitutional provisions Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, 2004 [English] [Bengali]

Part II Fundamental Principles of State Policy, Section 15 Provision of basic necessities stipulates that it shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to attain, through planned

economic growth, a constant increase of productive forces and a steady improvement in the material and cultural standard of living of the people, with a view to securing to its citizensthe right to social security, that is to say to public assistance in cases of undeserved want arising from unemployment, illness or disablement, or suffered by widows or orphans or in old age, or in other such cases. (Bangladesh 2004, part II, sect. 15) b) Disability-specific laws and regulations i. Comprehensive disability-specific laws and regulations Bangladesh Persons with Disability Welfare Act, 2001 [English] [Bengali]

The Disability Welfare Act (Bangladesh 2001) is the main legal instrument concerning disability in Bangladesh. The main provisions of the law provide for the following:

Definitions and identification related to disability welfare (Section 1-3) The organization, constitution, responsibilities and functions of the National Coordination Committee (Section 4-7); The organization, constitution, responsibilities and functions of the Executive Committee (Section 8-11); The organization, constitution, responsibilities and functions of District Committees under which the registration of persons with disabilities and the issuance of identification cards are provided (Section 12-18) Provisions holding the Government, Non-Government Organizations and the Local Authority responsible for implementing projects and programmes taken up by the National Coordination Committee at the field level operation and also to execute the decisions and directives of the said Committee. A provision stating that the Government may define what acts constitute offences based on this law (Section 19). Provisions for penalizing a Company (Statutory Government Authority, Commercial Establishment, Association or organizations inclusive) violating the Act.

The Law includes a Schedule which identifies activities under the jurisdiction of the National Coordinating Committee, including 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. disabilities prevention, identification, curative treatment, education, health care, rehabilitation and employment, transport and communication, culture, social security and self-help organization.

ii. Sectoral disability-specific laws and regulations

Rules for distribution of disable allowance [English] [Bengali]

The rules regulate the distribution of allowances for persons with disabilities. c) Disability-inclusive laws and regulations Bangladesh National Building Code [English] [Bengali]

Published in 1993, the Code is still to be enforced as a legal instrument. The Code prescribes standards to ensure accessibility of persons with disabilities (Bangladesh 2007).

3. Policies and plans

a) Disability-specific policies and plans i. Comprehensive disability-specific policies and plans National Policy on Disability, 1995 [English] [Bengali]

Approved by the Cabinet in 1995 in line with the constitutional provisions on the rights of persons with disability, the National Policy on Disability is based on the commitments made by the Government of Bangladesh in adopting the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The Policy outlines guidelines for prevention, identification, education, rehabilitation, research and management of the national program (Bangladesh 2004). National Action Plan on Disability, 2006 [English] [Bengali]

The National Action Plan on Disability is a comprehensive disability action plan, involving fourteen different Ministries & Departments of the Government. The Action Plan has covered the areas projected in the Biwako Millennium Framework like, self-help organization, women with disability, early detection and intervention, education, training and employment, access to built environment and transport, access to communication, assistive technology, social security, public awareness (Bangladesh 2004). ii. Sectoral disability-specific policies and plans .. b) Disability-inclusive policies and plans Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-II) [English] [Bengali]

The second phase of the national Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-II) has included the issue on Inclusive Education Program. The Government introduced from

July 2007 Special Stipend program for Disable students at all level (Bangladesh 2007). Social Welfare Policy, 2006 Program on Welfare and Service Delivery [English] [Bengali] Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper [English] [Bengali]

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) is a strategic direction for the overall comprehensive development of the country. This document, in its analysis on poverty has included a special chapter on Disability, acknowledging the interrelation of poverty and disability. Similarly, in its development targets and goals, including in some of the relevant matrices, disability issues have been addressed (Bangladesh 2005).

4. Institutional framework and Government focal point

Ministry of Social Welfare

The Ministry of Social Welfare is the main Government arm that has overall responsibility over disability affairs in Bangladesh. The ministry deals with human resource development, poverty alleviation, welfare-development and empowerment of the bypassed, disadvantaged segment of the population. In accordance with the country's being a welfare state, the Ministry implements programs like old age allowances, disable allowances, grants and aids to acid burnt victims. The Ministry of Social Welfare can be contacted at the following: Website: www.msw.gov.bd/ Departments/Organizations under the Ministry of Social Welfare Department of Social Services

The Department of Social Services since its inception in 1961, has been implementing the social protection and social promotion programmes to address the problems of orphans, destitute children and women, poor, distressed elderly population, and persons with disability, socially handicapped and other by passed segments of population. National Foundation for the Disabled Development

This foundation was formed with the help of the government to look after all the related issues of persons with disabilities. The Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare is the president and chief executive of the foundation and a managing director is appointed by the government. The foundation depends mainly on Government grants to fund its activities. The main functions of the foundation are to: a. To resolve the various issues related to the persons with disabilities b. To provide grants, aid or loan to persons with disabilities and non-government organizations working on disability concerns c. Provide special education for disabled children National Coordination Mechanism

The National Coordination Committee is the coordinating mechanism for disability in Bangladesh as mandated by Bangladesh Persons with Disability Welfare Act of 2001. The responsibilities of the National Coordination Committee include providing advice to the Government regarding the development of policies, legislation, programs and projects for persons with disabilities. It is also responsible for implementing the activities in the Schedule provided in the Persons with Disability Welfare act of 2001. The Minister of the Ministry of Social Welfare sits as the chair with seven sub-committees in relevant line Ministries including Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Establishment. At the district level, Welfare Committees have been organized headed by the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of respective districts. The participation of persons with disabilities has been ensured so they may be able to take part in planning for their own development and the development of others in the community.

5. Useful links
Action on Disability and Development (ADD) www.add.org.bd Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity (BPKS) www.bpksbd.org Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) www.brac.net Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) www.cdd.org.bd Disabled Rehabilitation and Research Association (DRRA) www.drrabd.org Impact Foundation Bangladesh www.impactfoundationbd.org National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) www.nfowd.com Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) www.ypsa.org

6. References
Bangladesh (1972). Constitution of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, accessed from www.supremecourt.gov.bd/?visit=constitution/constitution_en on 18 July 2011. _______ (2001). Bangladesh Persons with Disability Welfare Act (functional English version), National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled, trans., accessed from www.disabilityworld.org/05-06_01/gov/bangladesh.shtml on 18 July 2011. _______ (2004). Bangladesh Country Paper, paper presented at the Regional Workshop: Monitoring the Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Right-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the

Pacific, Bangkok, 13-15 October 2004, accessed from www.worldenable.net/bmf2004/paperbangladesh.htm on 23 September 2010. _______ (2005). Bangladesh Country Report, paper presented by Khandaked Jahurul Alam, President of the National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD), at the Regional Workshop on Comprehensive National Plan of Action on Disability - Towards the Mid-point Review of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (BMF), Bangkok, 19-21 October 2005, accessed from www.worldenable.net/bmf2005/paperbangladesh.htm on 23 September 2010. _______ (2007). Country Report of Bangladesh, paper presented at the High Level InterGovernmental meeting on the mid-point Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Person 2003-2012, Bangkok, 19-21 September 2007, accessed from www.worldenable.net/bmf5/paperbangladesh.htm on 23 September 2010. Disabled Rehabilitation & Research Association (DRRA) (2003). Bangladesh: Towards rightbase approaches for the Persons with Disabilities, paper presented at the Expert Group Meeting and Seminar on an International Convention to Protect and Promote the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, 2-4 June 2003, accessed from www.worldenable.net/bangkok2003/paperbangladesh2.htm on 23 September 2010. National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) (2005). Community Based Rehabilitation Practices and Alleviation of Poverty of People with Disabilities in Bangladesh, paper presented at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, 5 July 2005, accessed from www.worldenable.net/cbr2005/paperbangladesh.htm#_ftn1 on 23 September 2010. Last updated: 17 October 2011.