Paving the path to an accessible Dhaka
As rush hour traffic buzzes by, Rahim, a wheelchair user, carefully navigates the cracked and uneven sidewalk in downtown Dhaka. Oblivious pedestrians jostle past him, while street vendors block large stretches of the walkway, forcing Rahim to repeatedly veer onto the road.
The journey to his office, just half a kilometre away, is always an obstacle course. Rahim Khan must contend with missing curb cuts, steep ramps, and perpetually "under-repair" foot overbridges with no lift access. But he has learned to start his trip earlier, move slowly, and keep a watchful eye.
Rahim's daily commute epitomises the challenges people with disabilities face in accessing urban infrastructure, transport, and other services in Dhaka. With over 18 million people, Dhaka is one of the world's most densely populated cities. While its rapid growth has enabled economic progress, the city's infrastructure and development have failed to keep pace.
Sidewalks taken over by hawkers force wheelchair users onto busy roads. Buses with high floors and no boarding equipment exclude people with mobility impairments. Lack of audio announcements and visual signage disadvantage people with sensory disabilities.
While Bangladesh has made laudable legislative strides by adopting the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disability Act, 2013, its implementation remains weak. Architect Naheed Jahan explains, "Universal design is hardly practised. While some buildings have ramps, they are too steep without railings. Accessible toilets exist but often get misused for storage."
Experts concur that despite the policies, a persisting lack of accessibility undermines inclusion and limits socioeconomic participation. There is a need for government support and legislative enforcement to promote accessibility and inclusion.
Yet, glimmers of hope do exist. The newly opened Dhaka Metro Rail (MRT Line-6), the country's first urban rail system, integrates accessibility features like elevators, ramps, tactile paths, and priority seats. Rifat Ali, a metro rail official, says, "Our stations have help desks for passengers with disabilities. Staff are trained in disability etiquette."
For Parveen Ahmed, a wheelchair user, the metro allows self-reliant commuting. She says, "Earlier, I had to rely on my brothers to take me out. The metro gives me independence." The 20-station MRT-6 aims to enhance urban mobility and reduce congestion. Its universal design approach sets an important precedent.
Even so, while laws mandate accessibility, guidelines are overridden when it comes to execution, especially in older infrastructure. Md Ashikur Ali, an urban planner, explains, "We often recommend accessibility measures in project plans, but these are value-engineered out to reduce costs."
The Dhaka North City Corporation installed tactile ground surface indicators on sidewalks a few years back for visual guidance. However, Tehmina Aziz, from a disability rights group, says, "New poles, trees, and even police boxes obstruct these paths, rendering them ineffective."
Development partners should ensure that large-scale infrastructure projects follow universal design principles. Accessibility requires more than ramps and lifts. For instance, persons with intellectual disabilities can benefit from pictorial signage and route maps. Audio announcements and buzzers aid those with vision impairments.
Ruksana Reza, a banker who is blind, advocates for Braille displays and tactile banknotes. She says, "I can identify currency notes by folding the corners in different ways. But accessible ATMs could allow for self-service."
The affordability of assistive devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids is another barrier. To combat this, urban livelihood schemes must proactively cover persons with disabilities.
Encouragingly, some private entities are embracing accessibility to expand their consumer base. E-commerce platforms allow the use of screen readers and provide shipping exemptions for the purchase of assistive devices. Rideshare companies offer wheelchair-friendly cars, while hotels incorporate access features in room designs.
Zakir Hussain, an architect, suggests, "Access audits of existing infrastructure can identify feasible retrofits like installing ramps or non-slip flooring."
Additionally, employers should actively recruit persons with disabilities, invest in their skills development, and improve workplace accessibility. The Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN), under the Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) with support from the International Labour Organization, engages in inclusive employment opportunities across Bangladesh, and recently put together a platform in collaboration with UN-Habitat to bring together the CEOs and top executives from leading businesses and organisations to facilitate a discussion and actions related to building disability-inclusive organisations. The CEO forum focused on enablers necessary to make organisations more accessible, and saw industry captains pledge enhanced recruitment and workplace modifications for disabled employees.
As Bangladesh progresses towards a middle-income status, disability-inclusive urban development can ensure that all citizens benefit equitably from socioeconomic growth. But political will must be strengthened through public-private collaboration and community participation.
Progress on implementing identified strategies should be monitored through regular reports, and the momentum should be sustained by continuing collaborative efforts between stakeholders. Other sectors and government agencies should be inspired to embrace inclusivity in their own policies and programmes. In short, the tools exist, but relevant actors must now pave the path ahead with empathy and equity at the forefront.
Dr Priyanka Kochhar is technical advisor to UN-Habitat in Bangladesh.
Murteza Rafi Khan is CEO of Bangladesh Business and Disability Network.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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