A City for All

Photo: Prabir Das

The article makes some important points about how to increase accessibility of persons with disabilities.

It is important to note that accessibility is best achieved incrementally – for example, by improving the features of buildings in stages. Initial efforts should aim to build a “culture of accessibility” and focus on removing basic environmental barriers. Once the concept of accessibility has become ingrained and as more resources become available, it becomes easier to raise standards and attain a higher level of universal design. Even after physical barriers have been removed, negative attitudes may produce barriers in all domains. To overcome the ignorance and prejudice surrounding disability, education and awareness-raising is required. Such education should be a regular component of professional training in architecture, construction, design, informatics, and marketing. Policy-makers and those working on behalf of people with disabilities need to be educated about the importance of accessibility.

Sohel Khan
Via email

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Power of Inclusion

It is a well written piece. By publishing this article, the Star has once again shown that it deeply cares about social issues that need our attention. It was a joy to read about so many brave souls who despite having some form of disability have achieved a life of dignity and self-esteem.

Disability is an important development issue with an increasing body of evidence showing that persons with disabilities experience worse socioeconomic outcomes and poverty than those without disabilities.  This is largely due to the lack of services available to them and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives. Our society has to find out what works best to overcome barriers to health care, rehabilitation, education, employment, and support services, and to create the environments which will enable people with disabilities to flourish. No one model of support services will work in all contexts and meet all needs. A diversity of providers and models is required.

Minhazul Islam
Baridhara, Dhaka.
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Painting the Country Red

It is shocking to see Washington Post publish such a biased and baseless story. The research methodology is flawed and the outcome is misleading. However, I would like to discuss a few things Adnan R. Amin has written in his article. He writes, “People congregate with their own folks because it's comforting and convenient. Similarly, when a typical Bangladeshi is asked about his/her preference of neighbours – it's only natural that (s)he would choose another Bangladeshi – even a co-religionist too.”

If we all preferred a co-religionist as our neighbour, what would the world look like? For example, if the western countries wanted to become Christian states instead of secular and democratic ones, what would happen to millions of people of other faiths who have emigrated  to those countries? It is a fact that people belonging to faiths other than Christianity enjoy better religious freedom and human rights in many western countries than the countries they are originally from.

Mainul Hasan
Agrabad, Chittagong
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The Changing Face  of Bangladesh

I am deeply moved by this story.  The writer has reminded us that many of us could not become what we are today without the sacrifices of our parents. I know a person whose father died while he was a student at Dhaka University. His mother, illiterate and poor raised him all by herself. She often went hungry to feed him. She never wore sandals and had only one saree. But she knew the value of education. Her son rose to become a famous diplomat who served as an ambassador to many countries.

In my village, there is a small paan shop. The owner has two sons. One of them has become a doctor and the other a computer engineer from BUET. He still  sells paan although he does not have to. He has not forgotten his roots.

These parents command our highest respect.

Nahid Momen
Nilkhet, Dhaka

Voices to the Fringes

It is encouraging to read about the role community radio has played about raising preparedness before, after and during disasters.  Community radio may also focus on issues of agriculture, gender inequality, education, trade and commerce, poverty and social problems. It may be an important tool to empower the rural population. Community radio may contribute toward improving the living standards of the people and finding solutions to their local problems through awareness. The government has to realise that radio may be  about the only way a largely illiterate, poor population can know what is going on in the rest of the country and world and participate in development.

Khalilur Rahman
Jessore