Saturday, August 29, 2009

DPO Leaders met Speaker of the Parliament

A team of DPO Leaders met Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament Advocate Abdul Hamid at his office at Dhaka, on 24 August 2009. The team led by Md. Abdus Sattar Dulal a physically disabled person who is also the Secretary of Disabled Peoples' International (DPI), President of NADPO, a national DPO network and Executive Director of Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity (BPKS) a leading DPO in the country.

Discussion between the honorable Speaker and DPO leaders includes the issues of rights, development and improvement in the quality of lives of people with disabilities in Bangladesh. The meeting focused on the needs for inclusion of disability issues in the national policy documents, amendment in the Rules of Business of the ministries, diversification of disability issues from Ministry of Social Welfare to others, ratified UNCRPD other relevant issues.

Appreciating the role of Speaker in the Parliament the team placed a set of demands for physical accessibility facilities of disabled persons in the parliament building, two reserved seats of MPs for PWDs from each division, inclusion of NADPO in the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committees and recruiting PWD employees in the Parliament Secretariat. The honorable Speaker expressed his same feelings on the issues raised. He suggested that the issues could be raised in the parliament sessons by MPs and then, he committed to do the needful at his level best in support to people with disabilities of the country. This meeting in a congenial environment created a hope for better future of people with disabilities in Bangladesh.


AWDP-Bangladesh congratulates Md. Abdus Sattar Dulal and his team of delegation for such an advocacy meeting with the top level policy maker of the country on the rights of people with disabilities and their issues.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sarower's Urge for an employment
Mohammad Sarower Hossen Khan is the first person with disability in Bangladesh who got M. Phil Degree from Dhaka University . Sarower is a person with full blindness who set a most encouraging instance of success by achieving his M. Phil Degreein September 2008. So far this is the highest academic accomplishment by a person with disability in the country.

AWDP-Bangladesh published a blogpost on 23 September 2008. Link http://awdpbd.blogspot.com/2008/09/countrys-first-person-with-disability.html

After that Sarower received remarks of appreciation from over the country and abroad for his big achievement. National newspapers and journals published 15 features on his exemplary achievement. Most leading NGOs working for the promotion of rights of people with disabilities highly appreciated him. Sarower is greatly indebted to all and expressed his gratitude to all organizations and individuals who made their kind remarks of appreciation.

After a long interval, in July 2009 following Remarks of Appreciation were made by leading disability rights NGOs and Donors.

One of our member named Mr. Mohammad Sarwar Hossain Khan secured his M..Phil degree from the University of Dhaka and the news is published in the issue of daily "Prothom Alo" today (link given below). Congratulations to him! He proved his ability and urged to the Govt of Bangladesh for necessary support to achieve his Ph.d degree. We wish him all the success. http://www.prothom-alo.com/mcat.news.details.php?nid=MTY0OTQw&mid=NQ
Anam, Coordinator, BVIPS
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Congratulation to Sarwar Bhai! A sparkling person can’t be visual impaired anymore. I salute you Sawar Bhai.
Regards,
Rabeya Sultana
Head, Rights & Social Justice Sector
ActionAid Bangladesh
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I would like to add few words with Rabeya Apa. Sarwar is a change maker who takes initiative on his own. I worked with him in Election Monitoring of Parliamentary Election 2001. He worked as a role model. He created another instance through completing the M. Phil degree. Congratulation to you, Sarwar. We need more capable people in our country.
Thank you,
Mosharraf HossainCountry Director, ADD
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Congratulations Sarwar Bhai.We deeply acknowledge the encouragement from your wife Ms. Mazeda Moon and your supervisor Professor Dil Rowson Jinnat Ara to achieve it.

Waiting to congratulate you for your PhD. Good Luck.

Zahid, NFOWD
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It is a Great wave in the field of the disability and development. Go a head Sarwar your success shows it is possible only needs strong will. Hope your inner force will take you long what will bring positive change in the society for those are till in depressed.

Shahidul Haque
Chief Executive, SARPV-Bangladesh
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I would like to convey my heartiest gratitude to Sarwar and his family and also his supervisor to support him to achieve the degree. A person who can achieve Mphil degree or any higher degree from any university can contribute in any sector of the society. However, it is unfortunate that many of them after completion of high-education are not getting employment opportunities. All our encouragement I believe would stimulate educated disabled youth but if we cannot create opportunities for them to apply their skills and wisdom to contribute in wider development they might loose the steam and frustrated soon.

I appeal all of you to start talking how we can be more effective to ensure their employment in different sectors including our own. I believe doing so, will not only enable disabled youth to remove their frustration but will definitely contribute in reaching our wider goal of inclusive society…

In solidarity,
Mozammel HaqueAction on Disability and Development (ADD)
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We also feel happy and heartily congratulate Mr. Sarwar Hossain Khan’s achievement as the country’s first person with disability who attained M. Phil degree from Dhaka University. This is a milestone for all persons with disabilities in Bangladesh who are challenging lots of barriers and discrimination to attain higher education. We take this opportunity to inform that Disability Friends Club of Jahangirnagor University (DFC-JU) recognized this exceptional achievement by organizing a special event at Jahangirnagar University Auditorium on the eve of International Disability Day, 2008. In that event Professor Dr. Muniruzzaman, Pro-VC and then Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University was present as the chief guest and handed over the appreciations to Mr. Sarwar Hossain Khan and other two awardees.

We once again congratulate Mr. Sarowar Hossian Khan and we believe that his remarkable achievement will inspire all of us.

Thanks and Best Regards,
Rakhi Barua
Project Coordinator, Promoting Rights for the Persons with
Disabilities (PRPD), CDD-MJF
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Thanks. Last year I remember I was with all of you at that program so congratulate again. That was nice program there four person received award from us.
Nazrana Yesmin, MJF
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Congratulations Sarwar bhai! I believe you will have good opportunities and scopes to utilize your learning and experiences. We are highly encouraged from your success.

Jibon William Gomes
Project Manager, Cooperation Program with Abilis Handicap International, Bangladesh
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Despite all those remarks of appreciation there is a great irony in the real life experience of Sarower. Even after accomplishment of his M.phil Degree and being the only person with disability having highest academic qualification in the country Sarower couldn’t manage a job for his own survival within one year. Over the year Sarower put his every efforts to get a job, but yet to get any positive response. As such, Sarower has made an urge to all concerns for providing him a job so that he can survive with dignity and to utilize his learning and experiences for empowerment of other people with disabilities in the country and can move forward towards his vision of achieving Ph.D Degree.

AWDP-Bangladesh believes Sarower will be able to get a suitable job and his achievement will be rewarded not only by words but also in action.

Get-Together of CRP Friends
Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed CRP-Bangladesh organized a get-together of its friend NGOs working with disabilities on 1 August 2009 on celebrating its year long 30th anniversary program. In Bangladesh CRP is the only organization that provides treatment, training and rehabilitation services to people with spinal injury and paraplegia. A good number of senior level representatives from different NGOs attended the event.
Valerie Taylor, Founder and Co-coordinator of CRP recalled many people with disabilities who have
got services from CRP and got new dimension in their lives with different ability and confidence in her welcome speech. She added many of them are now making good contribution to support other people with disabilities through their services at different workplaces and through their own organizations.
This get together included CRP presentation on its speech therapy services, video show and open discussion. In the videos, developed by people with disabilities team focused on different abilities of persons with disabilities and sufferings of wheelchair users in their day to day mobility and accessibility.
Participants of this program strongly felt for a united effort to build a barrier-free and accessible environment for all. They also stretched on an effective law base on the rights of people with disabilities. CRP Executive Director Mr. Emdad Moslem facilitated the whole program.
AWDP-Bangladesh expresses its sincere thanks and gratitude to CRP and Valerie Taylor who shown light to Md. Mahbubul Ashraf, Secretary & Coordinator of AWDP towards living a life with disability and dignity.