Calls are growing for stronger digital accessibility measures in Bangladesh ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), as experts warn that rapid digitization risks excluding millions of persons with disabilities.
From government services and banking to education, healthcare and job applications, daily life in Bangladesh is increasingly shifting online. But questions persist over whether this transformation is accessible to all users.
Can a visually impaired person independently navigate a government website? Can a deaf user fully access online video content? Can persons with physical disabilities use digital platforms using only a keyboard?
These concerns are again in focus as the world prepares to observe GAAD on Thursday, an annual initiative launched in 2012 to promote digital accessibility for persons with disabilities. This year marks the 15th observance of the day, with the proposed theme: “Design, Develop, Deliver: Accessibility at Every Step.”
Experts say digital transformation becomes meaningful only when technology is equally accessible to all users, warning that otherwise it risks creating new forms of exclusion.
Bangladesh is among the first 20 countries to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Articles 9 and 21 of the convention call for equal access to information and communication technologies and inclusive access to information. The country has also committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the principle of “Leaving No One Behind.”
At the national level, the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013 recognizes access to information and communication technology as a fundamental right, while the National ICT Policy 2018 includes provisions for inclusive digital services across public and private sectors.
In 2022, Bangladesh also ratified the Marrakesh Treaty, improving access to books and educational materials for people with visual impairments.
The ICT Division the same year approved the “Digital Service and Web Designing Guideline for Inclusive Accessibility,” based on international WCAG 2.1 standards. Stakeholders say proper implementation of the guideline could significantly improve access to digital services for persons with disabilities.
However, implementation gaps remain significant.
Many government websites are still not fully compatible with screen readers. Online forms often lack accessibility features, video content frequently has no captions or sign language interpretation, and many mobile applications are not built in line with international accessibility standards.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Population Census 2022, around 2.4% of the population lives with some form of disability, while the National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (NSPD) 2021 estimated the rate at 2.8%.
Data from the Department of Social Services shows more than 3.9 million persons with disabilities are registered in Bangladesh, of whom nearly 2.4 million receive government allowances through mobile banking services.
Experts warn that as essential services such as healthcare, education, social protection and employment become increasingly digitized, poor accessibility could effectively exclude millions of people.
Bangladesh now has more than 33,000 government websites and over 100 citizen e-services, alongside rapidly expanding private-sector platforms in banking, e-commerce, media, online education and job portals.
As a result, experts say digital accessibility is no longer a technical concern alone but a matter of human rights, citizenship and social inclusion.
Lived realities behind inaccessible digital services
Rakibul Hasan, a visually impaired user, said many platforms remain difficult to use independently.
“Many government and private websites are still not fully usable with screen readers. In many cases, small design changes could solve these problems easily,” he said.
“If digital services were accessible, we could use them independently like everyone else.”
Abdullah, a deaf student at Government Titumir College, said the absence of captions and sign language interpretation continues to create barriers in online learning.
“Online classes and video content still lack proper captions or sign language support, so we often fail to understand important information,” he said.
“If captions were available, we could learn and access information equally from the same digital platforms.”
Experts call for implementation, not just policy
Bhaskar Bhattacharjee, Consultant (Accessibility) at Aspire to Innovate (a2i), said most digital platforms in Bangladesh are still not developed according to international accessibility standards, particularly WCAG.
“As a result, many users, including persons with visual and hearing impairments, remain excluded from accessing digital services,” he said.
He stressed the importance of “Accessibility by Design.”
“Accessibility must be integrated from the very beginning of digital service planning and development. Inclusive digital services are not possible without proper policy implementation, accessibility audits, training and the direct participation of persons with disabilities,” he added.
Bhattacharjee said Bangladesh has strong potential to make meaningful progress in digital accessibility, but greater accountability and coordinated efforts are needed to translate commitments into action.
Mohammad Russell Hasan, computer instructor at the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind and a digital accessibility researcher, said accessibility is still often treated as an afterthought.
“There has been policy progress, but accessibility is still not considered from the beginning of digital product and service development. As a result, it becomes difficult to incorporate later,” he said.
“Without developer training and mandatory accessibility standards, these problems will continue in the long term.”
As Bangladesh moves deeper into digital transformation, experts argue that accessibility must be treated not as an optional feature but as a fundamental right.
They say a truly smart and inclusive Bangladesh can only be achieved when digital services are designed to be equally usable for every citizen.
