As Bangladesh prepares for its 13th national parliamentary election on February 12, persons with disabilities are urging political parties to make disability rights a core political commitment, while parties themselves offer cautious assurances that concrete pledges are forthcoming.
Advocates say the issue has long remained on the margins of election manifestos, despite an estimated five million persons with disabilities living in the country.
“Every election, parties speak about development, but our daily struggles never make it into their promises,” said Shahinul Haque Joy, a visually impaired voter and University of Dhaka graduate.
“Education, employment, mobility - persons with disabilities are disadvantaged everywhere. This time, we want to see clear commitments, not sympathy.”
Political leaders acknowledge the demand but remain guarded about specifics.
BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said disability issues would be reflected in the party’s manifesto, though discussions were still underway.
“We are aware of the concerns of persons with disabilities and will include commitments accordingly,” he said, without elaborating on timelines or targets.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair echoed a similar position.
“Our manifesto will include provisions for persons with disabilities. We believe in an inclusive Bangladesh where every citizen enjoys equal facilities,” he said.
For activists, however, broad assurances fall short.
“Without measurable targets, these promises remain rhetorical,” said Jahangir Alam, senior coordinator at the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD).
“Manifestos must address inclusive education, employment quotas, accessible infrastructure and institutional accountability. Otherwise, disability rights will again be sidelined.”
Accessibility remains a major concern across sectors.
Pushpita Choudhury, a wheelchair user and university student, said the lack of barrier-free environments undermines all policy promises.
“You can talk about jobs and education, but if campuses, offices and public transport are inaccessible, those promises mean nothing,” she said.
National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Ishtiaq Akib said disability inclusion would be addressed more structurally in his party’s manifesto.
“Our focus is on education, skills training, workplace accessibility and correcting errors in social safety net programs,” he said, noting that “more than 50% inclusion errors” currently exist in disability allowance schemes.
Employment discrimination also features prominently in the debate.
Ali Hossain, convener of the Job-Seeking Graduates with Disabilities Council, said many qualified graduates are excluded from both public and private sector jobs.
“If manifestos do not clearly state how persons with disabilities will be employed, an entire generation will remain locked out of the labor market,” he said.
Md Abdullah, who has speech and hearing impairments, stressed the absence of institutional support.
“There are no sign language interpreters in courts, hospitals or government offices. We are citizens, yet basic services are inaccessible to us,” he said.
Salma Mahbub, general secretary of the Bangladesh Society for Change and Advocacy Nexus (BSCAN), said parties must recognize disability rights as a legal and constitutional obligation.
“Healthcare, education, infrastructure and participation in policymaking must be clearly addressed in election pledges,” she said.
Md Saidul Haque, executive director of Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization (BERDO), summed up the concern: “Persons with disabilities are not beneficiaries of charity. They are rights-holding citizens. If political parties are serious about inclusion, that seriousness must begin with their manifestos.”
As campaigning intensifies, rights groups say the coming weeks will show whether political parties are willing to translate words into clear, enforceable commitments - or whether disability rights will once again be relegated to the margins of electoral politics.
