International Disabled Day observed in Meherpur

The National Disabled Day-2014, following the International Disabled Day, was observed in Meherpur on Wednesday in a befitting manner. To mark the day, a colorful procession paraded through the town led by Mahmud Hossain, Deputy Commissioner that ended at city’s Shilpakala Academy premises. A large number of disabled persons including the NGO workers and people of all strata took part in the procession.
The day’s theme was “Sustainable development: The Promise of Technology”.
After conclusion of the procession a lively discussion meeting was held at the Shilpakala Academy Auditorium with Abu Bakar Siddique, Acting Deputy Director of District Social Service Office in the chair. The Deputy Commissioner was present as the chief guest while Dr Ismail Farooque, Civil Surgeon and Alhaj Ashkar Ali, Vice President, District Awami League, Alhaj Mosharaf Hosain, Executive Director, PSKS, among others, were present as special guests.
The program was jointly organized by District Administration and Social Service Department, Meherpur. Acting Deputy Director of Social Service Department Abu Bakar presented the welcome address.
The speakers of the meeting said that according to statistics 15 per cent people of the world are disabled in different forms. Out of them 70 per cent disabilities are manmade.
Population of Meherpur district is nearly seven lakh but it does not have correct data of disabled persons of the district. However, the disabled people are not the burden to the society, but resources thereof. They could contribute to the development of the society, the speakers said. A disabled student, Awal, also spoke on the occasion.
The chief guest, Depty Commissioner Mahmud Hossain, in his speech said that over one billion people or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population live with some form of disabilities. Persons with disabilities often face barriers to participation an all aspects of society. We should keep in our mind that they are not our burden but resources.
Referring the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) he told the meeting that accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities are fundamental rights recognized by the CRPD and are not only objectives, but also pre-requisites for the enjoyment of other rights. The CRPD seeks to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life and sustainable development.
He asked all to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to all aspects of society, on an equal basis with others, as well as to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility in all sustainable developments.
Protibondhi Sheba Sahajja Kendra distributed two wheel chairs and Protibondi Unnayan Sangstha gave some blankets to disabled persons. –Special Correspondent

 

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