The survey of the disabled is starting for the first time in the country. Getting ID Rehabilitation measures are also being taken

Dhaka Times Report. This is the first time that the survey of disabled people is starting in Bangladesh. The government is going to prove that disabled people are also human beings and they have the same rights as other people in this society.
The government has decided to conduct a disability survey. First, a survey will be conducted in some upazilas as a pilot program. After that, the work of disability survey will be started simultaneously across the country. For the first time in the country, through this survey, the total number of disabled people in different categories will be determined along with identification of disabled people. Necessary steps will also be taken for rehabilitation including providing special identity cards to each of the disabled identified through the survey.

Regarding the survey of the disabled, Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare Ranjit Kumar Biswas said that the government has taken the initiative of the survey to give proper status to the disabled. Besides, the initiative will not be limited only to surveys. Rehabilitation will be provided to every disabled person with necessary training and ancillary support according to his/her ability. He thinks that this initiative of the government will be considered as a landmark step for the nation.

Sources in the ministry said that although the government has taken various measures from time to time for the welfare of disabled people, the government does not have any number of actual disabled people. As there is no survey, the government does not know what kind of disability there are in any category. Due to these reasons, it is not possible to take proper steps to rehabilitate the disabled. In this reality, the decision of the survey was taken after discussing the matter in the meeting of the National Steering Committee on 12 April. According to the decision, the survey will be conducted in 8 upazilas of 8 districts in the first phase. These are Gopalganj Sadar, Jamalpur Sadar, Barura in Comilla, Paba in Rajshahi, Morelganj in Bagerhat, Barisal Sadar, Chunarughat in Habiganj and Fulbari Upazila in Dinajpur.

It is known that on April 19, Director General of Social Services Department Nachima Begum has written to the concerned district and upazila social services officers to start the survey work. According to the direction of the letter, the survey work should be completed by June 30. Prior to this, initiatives will be taken to provide adequate training to those who will conduct the survey. The training process has already started. Upazila Social Service Office will collect necessary information including pictures of disabled people. Disabled persons will be identified by Medical Officers, Consultants, Disability Services and Help Centers. The upazila committee and selected NGOs will carry out the responsibility of bringing disabled people to service and help centers. Upazila Social Service Office will finalize the list of disabled persons, data entry and storage. Disability list will be finally approved by the upazila committee. The concerned social service office will distribute identity cards along with registration of disabled persons. A list of persons with disabilities will be prepared through a prescribed form. All logistic support will be ensured including providing digital camera to upazila social service office for taking pictures of disabled persons.

It is reported that about 30 crore rupees have been allocated for the survey work of the disabled. Out of this, 5 crore 73 lakh taka has been allocated to complete the pilot program of 8 upazilas. All types of disabilities including physical and intellectual disabilities will be identified in the survey. The registered form will also have recommendations on the cause of disability, what kind of problem and what kind of plan can be taken to solve it. As a result, detailed information about a disabled person can be known at a glance. These data will be added to the special software of Social Services Department in the form of database. Meanwhile, Director General (Additional Secretary) Gazi Md. Nurul Kabir of the National Disability Foundation said that they have teams in every area under the pilot program. All preparations have been made to provide all assistance in this work. He said that this is going to be the first real work for the welfare of the disabled, even if delayed. Once the survey is completed, the picture of the entire country will be available together and on the basis of this, it will be possible to take effective measures to rehabilitate the disabled, so it is considered a good initiative.