Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the authorities concerned to strictly follow the quota reserved for physically challenged people while recruiting manpower for government services to give them the opportunities to demonstrate their excellence and efficiency.
The premier made the remarks while launching the "Centre for Neurodevelopment and Autism in Children" of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) at a local hotel yesterday morning.
"We have to provide them with the scope according to their eligibility and efficiency in development activities as the physically challenged people could be turned into human resources if they are given proper facilities and a congenial environment to this end," she added.
The PM asked the concerned ministry to appoint psychologist at each school across the country for extending proper counselling to the autistic children as well as to train the teachers on how to behave with autistic and physically challenged children.
Mentioning the negligence to the autistic and physically challenged children in the family, Hasina called upon all including the family members to take extra care of the autistic and physically challenged children so that they could not be the victims of discrimination.
Besides, she said the society has to change its attitude toward the autistic and physically challenged children as they are the integral part of it. The problem of autism is not a disease rather it is a part of human diversity, she added.
She said the autistic children have the every right to live like other normal children in society.
The PM underscored the need for the establishment of universal human rights and basic rights of the autistic children along with others to ensure a balanced development of the nation.
Referring to her government's endeavours to ensure the balanced development across the country, Hasina said it is not possible to implement the government's programmes without establishing universal human rights and basic rights of autistic and physically challenged children.
The PM put emphasis on creating a congenial atmosphere, like infrastructure facilities, at the offices of the physically challenged people so that they could do their duties without any hindrance.
In this connection, she asked the authorities concerned to invent computer, internet and cell-phone considering the causes of the physically challenged people.
Referring to the need for enacting a time befitting law for the physically challenged people, Hasina said her government is working on it to ensure rights of the physically challenged and autistic persons properly.
Listing her government's various efforts for the betterment of the autistic and neurologically challenged children, she said a project titled "Promotion of Services and Opportunities to the Disabled Persons in Bangladesh under National Disabled Development Foundation" is being implemented at a cost of Taka 155 crore.
Under this project, massive programmes have been undertaken for the welfare of physically challenged children along with establishing their rights, she added.
Besides, she said her government has started to set up six vocational training centres for the orphan autistic children in six divisional cities while five centres in five districts are providing medicare services as well as therapy to the physically challenged children free of cost.
The PM said her government is providing allowances at the rate of Taka 300 to each economically insolvent physically challenged person. Under the programme, Taka 93.60 crore has been distributed among the beneficiaries last year.
Hasina announced that the government would establish a full-fledged centre for the physically challenged people in Dhaka in order to maintain the self-identity of the physically challenged people.
Recalling the win of 21 gold, nine silver and six bronze medals by the physically challenged Bangladeshi athletes in the Special Olympic in the USA in 1999, Hasina said her government has undertaken an initiative to build a physically challenged sports complex in Dhaka.
The PM also asked the authorities concerned to prepare a list of physically challenged persons in the country by using their own mechanism and manpower.
Later, the PM witnessed a colourful cultural function performed by the autistic children.
Vice-chancellor of BSMMU Prof Pran Gopal Dutta chaired the function while Health Minister Prof A F M Ruhal Haque, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Haq Mustafa Shahid and PM's Health Adviser Prof Syed Modasser Ali, among others, spoke on the occasion.