Early identification and intervention for children with disabilities and developmental delay should be institutionalized nationwide to improve lifelong outcomes and reduce long-term social and economic costs, experts, policymakers and disability rights advocates said on June 24, urging the government to make disability screening and support services an integral part of the country’s healthcare, education and social protection systems.
The call came at a roundtable dialogue organized by the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) in partnership with the Liliane Fonds, Netherlands, where a policy brief was presented on the findings from the project “Strengthening Early Identification and Early Intervention for the Children with Disabilities,” implemented between 2024 and 2026 in Patharghata upazila of Barguna district and Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram district.
Presenting the project overview, CDD’s Senior Coordinator Md Rezaul Alam said the initiative identified around 1,500 children with developmental delays and disabilities across the project locations and linked them to rehabilitation services, assistive devices, referrals and caregiver support.
In his opening remarks, CDD’s Executive Director Nazmul Bari described early intervention as a national investment, saying the cost of failing to act far exceeds the cost of providing timely support. He also stressed that rehabilitation services should be gradually made available at all sub-districts and Union levels, in proximity to the communities.
Development consultant Md Anisuzzaman said community-based approaches proved effective in reaching children with disabilities often hidden due to stigma, with community interns helping build trust and encouraging families to seek services.
According to a recent assessment, early identification significantly improved children’s access to healthcare, education, rehabilitation and social protection, while caregivers reported greater confidence and schools became more willing to include children with disabilities.
Despite the progress, speakers said major barriers persist, including limited availability of specialist services at the upazila level, weak referral systems, social stigma, financial hardship and difficulties reaching remote coastal communities.
Speaking as chief guest, Md Tarikul Alam, managing director (additional secretary) of Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation (JPUF), said stronger coordination among government agencies, NGOs and development partners was essential to build an integrated support system. He also announced plans to establish disability service centres in every upazila and expand mobile therapy services to remote coastal and haor regions.
Department of Social Services Director General Shah Mohammad Mahbub called for accessible information in Bangla, strengthening disability data management systems and more trained professionals to help families obtain timely diagnosis and services.
Liliane Fonds Programme Manager Alodia Santos said early identification and intervention were not merely development programmes but a moral and human rights obligation, urging governments to ensure disability services are accessible, affordable and family-centred.
Dipty Chowdhury, a caregiver and mother of a child with Down syndrome from Banshakhali, said early identification and intervention transformed her daughter’s life.
“With regular exercises, therapy support and school enrollment, my daughter can now walk, eat on her own and interact with others. I hope every child with a disability receives the same support and opportunities.”
Mitu Akter, a community intern and woman with a physical disability, said the project helped identify children with disabilities early, connect them to therapy, healthcare and schools, and challenge social stigma.
Md Joynal Abedin, Deputy Director of the Inclusive Education Cell at the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), stressed that early identification and intervention are essential for inclusive education.
Md Abu Taiyob Khan, Assistant Director of the Neuro‑Developmental Disability Protection Trust (NDDPT), said early identification is the foundation of effective intervention.
He highlighted government plans to expand rehabilitation centres, establish specialised training institutes, strengthen skilled manpower and enhance collaboration with NGOs to improve inclusive disability services nationwide.
Amrita Rezina Rozario, Country Director of Sightsavers Bangladesh, called for stronger coordination among government agencies to improve early identification and intervention.
Md Johurul Islam Jewel, Senior Project Manager at Child Sight Foundation and Deputy Registrar at the University of South Asia, said early identification and intervention are critical to reducing preventable disabilities.
He stressed integrating digital technology into screening, expanding disability corners at upazila health complexes, and strengthening collaboration between the government and NGOs to improve rehabilitation, referrals and access to services.
CDD Executive Advisor AHM Noman Khan called for stronger coordination among ministries, government agencies and NGOs to build a nationwide early identification and intervention system.
The policy brief recommended integrating disability screening into primary healthcare, strengthening referral and follow up mechanisms, expanding community-based rehabilitation, supporting caregivers, promoting inclusive education and ensuring sustainable financing for disability services.