Formulate policies to ensure employment of the disabled

The government has to formulate appropriate policies and take necessary measures to ensure employment of the persons with disabilities in the public and private sectors, demanded Disabled Child Foundation (DCF) yesterday.

The demand was made at a DCF-organised national seminar "Promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the public and private sectors through appropriate policies and measures," at the capital's Probashi Kalyan Bhaban.

The handicapped people can contribute to the country's development if they are given scopes to utilise their potentialities, said Mohammad Hafizur Rahman Bullet, president of DCF working for the welfare of the disabled.

"The handicapped people have also talent and they are also able to work in the public and private organisations. They only need opportunities for work and proper skills," he told The Daily Star.

Hafizur Rahman, also captain of Bangladesh National Blind Cricket team, chaired the seminar.

Addressing as chief guest, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam said the people with disabilities could be entrepreneurs by starting small businesses. He assured them of providing necessary assistances for enhancing professional skills.

Begum Shamsun Nahar, director general of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, said they would arrange skill training programmes for the handicapped people in their technical training centres across the country. Monir Hossain Mridul, a trainer of DCF Computer Training Centre, who presented a keynote paper, placed some recommendations, including inclusion of the employment and rights of the handicapped people in all the ministries, addition of an article to the labour law for them, and ensuring their treatment facilities.