Ensure right to vote of people with disability

"The visually impaired people should be given the opportunity to go to the booth with their guide to cast their votes under strict privacy. On the other hand, the physically challenged people who use wheel chairs should be provided with ramp at the polling centres so that they can cast their vote without any difficulties," they added.

The discussion titled 'Electoral rights and political commitment for citizens with disabilities' was organised jointly by the National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) at DRU auditorium.

While delivering the welcome speech, Siddiqur Rahman of DRU said, "No plan is implemented for the welfare of the people with disability although they constitute around 10 percent of the total population."

"We want amendment of Bangladesh Disabled Welfare Act 2001 and ratification of the international convention regarding rights of the physically and mentally challenged people," said NFOWD Secretary General AHM Noman Khan while reading out the keynote paper.

"We have talked to the political parties and urged them to include the rights of the people with disability in their electoral pledge and lobbied to the social welfare ministry to sent proposals to the Election Commission (EC) to ensure their voting rights," said Khandakar Zahurul Alam, president of NFOWD.

The speakers urged the EC for incorporation and implementation of the proposals.

They also demanded implementation of the rights of the children with disabilities to education and sought approval of the national action plan at the ministry level in this regard.

DRU Vice-president Zafar Wajed moderated the discussion.