As a person with visual disability, accessible banking is not a privilege, it is a fundamental human right. Bangladesh was among the first 20 countries to sign and ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Later, the government passed the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act 2013, fulfilling its commitment to adopt a rights-based law. This law explicitly guarantees the rights, protection, and development of persons with disabilities, including a dedicated section on digital inclusion and accessibility.
Banking and financial services are essential in everyday life. Technology has made banking faster and more convenient, but it has also increased the responsibility of banks to ensure that all customers including people with disabilities can access services safely and independently.
For me, accessible digital financial information is not optional; it is necessary. Many of us rely on assistive technologies to perform our banking tasks. Yet most banks still fail to meet even the minimum digital accessibility requirements. Websites are often unusable without a mouse, buttons are unlabeled, images lack descriptions, and most PDF statements are inaccessible due to incorrect reading order or poorly structured tables.
Then there are the mobile financial services (MFS) in Bangladesh. They remain largely inaccessible for persons with visual disabilities. Despite this, disability allowances are disbursed through these very platforms, creating an ironic and harmful dependency.
Many persons with visual disabilities cannot navigate apps with screen readers, verify transactions, or confirm cash-out amounts independently. As a result, they are forced to rely on others for even the simplest financial tasks. This dependence has exposed them to fraud, manipulation, and theft. An essential service meant to empower people instead leaves them vulnerable and unprotected.
If banks and MFS proactively removed these barriers, they would not only serve people like me better, they would also gain a competitive advantage and reinforce their commitment to social responsibility. Digital accessibility is not only ethical; it is also financially sustainable.
Although Bangladesh is progressing in digital transformation, many persons with disabilities are still left behind, especially in the banking sector. Persons with visual disabilities are often overlooked when opening bank accounts, issuing ATM or debit cards, or applying for credit cards. Many in the financial sector still believe that visually impaired customers cannot use debit or credit cards, or that giving us cards might put our finances at risk. This mindset persists despite Bangladesh already having issued accessibility standards for all digital services.
In one of my previous tasks, a three-country research-in-action initiative called Accessibility, Language, and Tech for the People (ALT), supported by “Whose Knowledge?” I have studied the challenges and opportunities faced by persons with visual disability in Bangladesh. The ALT research is a collaborative and community-oriented process designed to bridge the gap between language justice and disability rights. This research project examined the experiences of persons with visual disability across Bangla, Hindi, and Urdu linguistic contexts and highlighted their struggles in accessing digital technologies and local-language content.
Through this research and my interaction with countless individuals with disabilities, I have repeatedly seen that most banks simply do not follow Bangladesh Bank’s directives. Some examples are below:
Poppy, a woman with visual disability, mentioned: “At least one banking website should be fully accessible so that I can manage my own money and transactions independently. Currently, there isn’t a single accessible banking website in Bangladesh.”
Her frustration reflects a widespread reality; when digital financial systems exclude people with disabilities, they deny us autonomy over our own lives.
Sohan, also a person with visual disability, mentioned a similar challenge: “I rely entirely on screen readers, yet my bank’s mobile app labels every button simply as “unlabeled,” forcing me to guess every action, from checking my balance to confirming a transaction.”
For him, digital banking is less a convenience and more a daily source of anxiety.
I have also personally faced discrimination. Despite meeting every requirement, a bank refused to issue me a credit card solely because of my disability. For me, this did not happen because of policy, it happened because of a lack of awareness, empathy, and understanding. If I can complete my higher education at the highest institutions in the country, if I can use an Android smartphone without physical buttons independently, then why should I not be able to use an ATM or a debit and credit card?
Modern ATM machines have Braille buttons and talking software. These technologies were built with inclusion in mind. Development becomes meaningless if it leaves people behind. I felt it was my responsibility to speak up, not just for myself, but for thousands of others who face the same injustice silently.
Refusing a credit card on the basis of disability violates the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act. I had filed a formal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). A hearing was arranged with Bangladesh Bank and the concerned bank.
The NHRC verdict stated that I must be issued a credit card, and NHRC must be notified once the bank complies. Next, Bangladesh Bank, with support from a2i, must work to identify and remove accessibility barriers faced by persons with disabilities in banking and mobile financial services.
Following this, Bangladesh Bank initiated a sector-wide accessibility assessment. Four banks were selected for detailed evaluation, and accessibility reports were prepared. Bangladesh Bank expressed its intention to use these institutions as examples and drive broader implementation of accessibility standards across the banking sector.
I am hopeful that these steps will translate into real, long-term change. As we move toward a cashless economy, equitable financial access becomes even more essential. Excluding persons with disabilities from banking is not only unfair, it undermines national development.
For people like me, a credit or debit card is not a luxury. As a frequent international traveler, it is essential for accommodation, transactions, and daily needs abroad. Denying this right restricts my independence, mobility, and dignity.
Accessible banking benefits everyone, not only people with disabilities. As our population ages and digital transactions grow, accessibility will become a universal need, not a niche requirement. I believe Bangladesh cannot truly develop if any group remains excluded.
A person with a disability is someone’s child, sibling, or member of the community. Ensuring our equal right to financial services is not just legal compliance; it is a moral and societal responsibility. I raised my voice so others would not have to face what I did. I hope that everyone, banking professionals, government officials, technologists, and civil society, will come together to uphold the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities. Every person counts. And every person deserves equal access to financial services.
Vashkar Bhattacharjee, a person with visual disabilities is a digital accessibility expert and disability rights advocate with over 20 years of experience.