While Bangladesh’s overall development in the past few decades is quite visibly apparent, a fundamental aspect of progress remains conspicuously absent: Accessibility.
A recent Dhaka Tribune story describes the challenges faced by a student at Dhaka University who had been left waiting four hours for a lift after an exam due to a power outage, is nothing if not a microcosm of this national failing. Her experience, echoed by countless others, reveals that, for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh -- particularly wheelchair users -- the promise of equal opportunity is locked behind insurmountable physical and bureaucratic barriers.
For the millions of citizens with physical disabilities, the daily reality is one of confrontation with a world not built for them. From government offices and hospitals to universities and public transport, the lack of basic accessibility features like ramps, functional lifts, and adapted toilets systematically excludes a significant portion of the population. Public transport is similarly off-limits, and even modern ride-sharing services practice blatant discrimination to this end -- such a state of affairs is not just an inconvenience but systematic denial of fundamental rights.
Experts have pointed out that the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) clearly mandates accessibility features in public buildings, which means that the problem is not a lack of policy but a catastrophic failure of implementation and enforcement -- which is nothing if not par for the course when it comes to Bangladeshi policy-making.
In order to right this wrong, the government must lead by example. To this end, an immediate audit of all government facilities must be conducted, and a mandatory, time-bound, and well-funded plan must be implemented to retrofit these structures with functional ramps, lifts with generator backup, and accessible toilets. Furthermore, policy must be backed by strict enforcement -- the BNBC’s accessibility provisions must be legally binding requirements. Tax incentives can be offered for retrofitting existing buildings, while stricter regulations can ensure that new shopping malls, banks, private universities, and offices are fully accessible.
With the right policies in place, backed up by strict enforcement, a more accessible Bangladesh is well within our approach.