Quota for the disabled to be considered if AL returns to power: Menon

Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday said steps will be taken to resolve all problems of the physically-challenged people, including the quota issue, with top priority if Awami League returns to power.

"The current government is at the end completing its term. Therefore, it's not possible for the government to take any effective step for the disabled. If Awami League wins the 11th parliamentary elections, the people with disabilities will be considered first," he said.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very responsive about the disabled people. She said she'll make special arrangements for them," he said.

The minister came up the remarks while speaking at a roundtable discussion organised by Bangladesh Disabled Students Unity Council at Jatiya Press Club in the Capital.

"The rights of disabled people are the fundamental human rights. The government enacted a law for protecting the rights of the disabled people in 2013, ensuring quota in government jobs for them. So, there's no scope to abolish quota for the disabled people," Menon added.

"Many multinational companies are doing business in our country. The government can make it mandatory for them to recruit disabled people. It'll open a big job market for them," said Dr Md Ridwanul Haque, associate professor of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of Dhaka University.

There was 1 percent quota for disabled people in government jobs.

But, the government abolished quotas in class I and II government jobs following a countrywide demonstration by general students and jobseekers, demanding reform in the existing quota system in public service.