The allocation of social safety net for persons with disabilities is only 2.5 percent of the total budget for social safety net programmes and 0.42 percent of the total national budget.

Budget allocation and the number of beneficiaries on education for students with disabilities remains unchanged for the last 4 consecutive years.

A person with a disability is entitled to receive a monthly allowance of only Tk 850.

It has been estimated by BBS that almost five million people in Bangladesh have at least one form of disability. However, only 3,57,000 are getting this trifling amount of monthly allowance currently.

These findings were shared yesterday at a virtual conference titled "Disability Inclusive National Budget 2023-24: Perspective of Post-Covid Effect and Global Economic Recession", organised by Access Bangladesh Foundation and The Daily Star.

Disability rights activists, researchers, civil society members, academicians and persons with disabilities participated in this virtual conference.

Albert Mollah, co-founder and executive director of Access Bangladesh Foundation, during his keynote presentation, said, "The allocations for persons with disabilities in the national budget are insignificant. There is some progress in this budget such as the disability allowance has been increased from Tk 750 to Tk 850 and the number of allowance recipients has somewhat increased."

"However, the allocations for persons with disabilities are disbursed through a welfare-centric approach, not through a rights-based approach," he added.

Nasima Akter, president of National Council of Disabled Women, said, "Persons with disabilities have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of them lost their income sources and many women with disabilities fell victim to torture and exploitation."

"Many organisations who used to work for persons with disabilities lost their funding and had to shut down as they did not receive any incentive from the government," she added.

Farjana Reza, national programme officer of social protection at International Labour Organization (ILO), said, "Support persons and caregivers play an extremely important role in the lives of persons with disabilities. Most of their efforts remain unnoticed and unrewarded, which also affect the quality of life of persons with disabilities."

"They [support persons and caregivers] should get a monthly allowance from the government to ensure the safety and smooth development of persons with disabilities," she added.

Nazrana Yesmin Hira, programme coordinator of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said, "Most of the educational institutions are not accessible for students with disabilities. School buildings and classrooms are not accessible. Teachers are not trained."

"The government must increase allocations to ensure inclusive education for students with disabilities," she added.

Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, state minister at the Ministry of Social Welfare, was the chief guest of the conference.

"Bangladesh's economy has gravely suffered due to the Russia-Ukraine War. Still, the government has increased disability allowance in the upcoming budget," said the minister.

"Not only the government but also people from all walks of life must come forward to ensure inclusive development of persons with disabilities," he added.

Murteza Rafi Khan, chief executive officer, Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN); Amrita Rejina Rozario, country director, Sightsavers; Vashkar Bhattacharjee, national consultant-accessibility, a2i; Jowaherul Islam Mamun, mentor, SWID Bangladesh; Ashrafun Nahar Misti, executive director, Women with Disabilities Development Foundation; Iftekhar Mahmud, coordinator, B-Scan; Nasrin Jahan, executive director, Disabled Child Foundation; Dilip Kumar Ghosh, president, National Forum of Organizations Working with The Disabled (NFOWD), were also present at the conference.