Call to implement UN convention that comes into effect today

National Alliance of Disabled Peoples Organisations (Nadpo) yesterday urged the government to take necessary steps in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which is coming into effect from today.
The convention was adopted at the UN General Assembly on December 13, 2006 to protect the rights of the people with disabilities.
The leaders of Nadpo urged the government to amend and implement the acts, policies, action plans and orders regarding the disability issue in the light of the UN Convention.
At a press conference at the National Press Club in the city, Nadpo leaders also demanded that different organisations working with the people with disabilities should be involved in poverty reduction and national development activities.
Their demands also include reserve seat for the people with disabilities at every level of the local government and 15 seats in parliament to serve the interest of 10 percent of the total population, more allocation in the revenue budget to strengthen the organisations of the physically challenged people and to formulate a disability affairs ministry in consultation with the representatives of the people with disabilities.
The leaders said creation of post at every level of political parties and specific programmes in election manifesto should be ensuredz to deal with disabilities issues.
In a written speech, Nadpo Secretary General Mohammad Jahangir Alam said, “Though we placed our demands to the government from time to time, the government paid little heed to our demands and announced different programmes which is inconsistent with the national and international declaration.”
Nadpo President Abdus Sattar Dulal, Senior Vice-president Shawkat Hossain Bhuiyan, Vice-president Mohammad Saiful Islam, Finance Secretary Aiub Nabi Molla, National Executive Committee members Iftekhar Hossain and Shahidul Islam, and Coordinator Shirin Akhter were present at the press conference.