Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says her government will set up permanent housing and employment for the differently-abled, including people with autism, in order to ensure their livelihoods.
“We have eight divisions. We will ensure permanent housing and employment first in the eight divisions and then, in phases, in each district,” she explained.
She said this at a function at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) today, joining virtually from her Ganabhaban residence in the city.
The Ministry of Social Welfare held an event to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day.
In addition to “Bolte Chai”, the premier also launched “Smart Autism Barta,” two apps that empower autistics with language problems to communicate and diagnose autism respectively.
According to Sheikh Hasina, the ‘Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust’ will provide permanent accommodations and employment for differently-abled and autistic individuals.
The trust can build them hostels or dormitories, where people will look after them,” she said.
Also, she suggested that the social welfare minister take on a project for finding permanent accommodation and employment for disabled people, since they feel secure if their guardians aren’t alive to help them.
She said her government is working to give a beautiful, improved life to everyone in society, including autistics and the disabled.
“We’re taking Bangladesh ahead towards prosperity. We’re running the state to ensure a beautiful life for the every section of people,” she said.
She called upon all particularly the affluent persons to stand beside the disabled and provide them with necessary assistance, including financial aid and jobs at their organizations, to ensure their meaningful livelihood and flourish their hidden talents.
The prime minister said it is the responsibilities of all the wealthy citizens of the country to take care of the differently able people, adding, “They’re our kith and kin.”
She said the people with autism can establish their life as they have huge talents.
“We will have to create scope for them to flourish their hidden merit,” she said, calling for not showing negligence anymore to them.
Referring to winning gold and silver in the Special Olympics and recent championship title in the four-nation special cricket tournament by the Bangladeshi differently able people, she said the normal players of the country even could not do it.
Coming to power after 21 years in 1996, she said the Awami League government started working for the betterment of the disabled people.
The term of autism was not familiar at that time, she said.
Despite her great patronage for autistics, Sheikh Hasina said the issue is completely unknown and unattended in Bangladesh.
She said that with her daughter taking the lead, awareness and importance of autism have grown nationwide and internationally.
Requesting the parents and guardians for putting in effort to integrate the autistics into the mainstream society brushing shyness about their children’s physical and mental barriers, the prime minister asked them to spend more times with their children.
Stressing the need for changing mindset of the society, she said, “We should not consider disabled people as a burden of the society. They have also the right to lead meaningful life and we the people having sound health should fulfill their rights.”
The theme of the World Autism Awareness Day-2022 is ‘Inclusion in the Workplace’.
The United Nations General Assembly declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need for enhanced initiatives by all to improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from autism.
Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed presided over the function while State Minister for Social Welfare Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru and its Secretary Mahfuza Akhter spoke.
At the function, on behalf of the prime minister, the social welfare minister handed over awards to the three children with autism, three organisations, two persons and a mother in four categories in recognition of their contribution to different fields.
Three children with autism — Masudul Iman, Muntasir Enam and Esaba Habib Sushmi — have got a crest, certificate and a cheque of Tk 50,000 each for their contribution to the society.
Three organisations — NI Khan Foundation, RTV and Foundation for Women and Children — and two persons — Suborna Chakma and Prof Khandoker Abdullah Al Mamun — received the honorary letter in recognition to their contribution to development and ensuring safety to the people with autism and Sharmin Chaudhury got the award as a successful mother of a autistic child.
On behalf of the people with autism, the minor girl Esaba Habib Sushmi also addressed the function.
Sheikh Hasina stressed the importance of inclusive education for children with impairments, saying they should be allowed to study alongside other students.
“It is not enough to provide them with co-education; they should be given additional opportunities to interact with other kids. The more opportunities for children with autism to interact with other students, the more likely they are to recover “she stated
In this regard, she stated that the government has been providing 1300 impaired students with a monthly education allowance of Taka 750 so that they can continue their studies.She stated that 20 lakh and 8,000 disabled persons are now receiving Tk 750 per month, and that one crore and two lakh people are receiving various allowances.
The National Disabled Development Foundation, according to the prime minister, was created in 1999.She emphasized the importance of raising autism awareness not only in Bangladesh but around the world so that people can understand how to interact with people with autism. She went on to say that sufficient training for parents, teachers, and other concerned individuals is required.
She stated that Bangladesh was fully aware of the disabled and that following the country’s independence in 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman built co-educational schools for the visually impaired under the supervision of the then Social Welfare Department.
The premier also emphasized the importance of correctly diagnosing autism in newly born infants so that they can receive proper treatment and recover quickly.
As a result, she stated, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University has established the Institute of Pediatric Neuro Disorder and Autism (IPNA) (BSMMU).
Sheikh Hasina said two laws were passed in parliament to defend the interests of people with disabilities: “The Persons with Disability Rights and Protection Trust Act, 2013” and “The Neuro Developmental Disability Protection Act, 2013.”
She added a “Neuro Developmental Disability Protection Trust” was established in 2014 under the trust statute. She noted that the government had allocated Taka 143 crore since its inception.She described her government’s attempts for the entire development of the disabled, stating that a complex for disabled people has already been erected in Mirpur. On the campus of the University of Michigan, a ‘Autism Resource Centre’ has opened.
In 2010, a ‘Autism Resource Centre’ was established on the premises of the Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation in Mirpur, according to the prime minister.
Subarna Bhaban, a multipurpose structure, was developed to give free residential medical treatment, training, and education to autistic youngsters and elderly challenged persons, she said.
The building also includes refuge homes for 275 disabled and autistic people, according to the prime.
Sheikh Hasina claimed that after independence, the Father of the Nation assigned large territories in each of the 19 districts under the supervision of the social welfare ministry for the construction of orphanages and other welfare-oriented organizations.
According to her, Bangabandhu also established a one per cent quota for disabled individuals in government jobs.
Later, the premier was treated to a cultural performance by people with autism.
