By Sanjida Sultana
The National Symposium on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2025, held on 4 December 2025 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center, brought together government ministries, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), UN agencies, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and youth with disabilities to advance disability-inclusive social progress in Bangladesh. Guided by the global theme “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress,” the symposium served as a high-level national platform to review progress, identify persistent gaps, and agree on shared commitments ahead of the National Disability Strategy 2026–2030.
The discussions emphasized a shift from charity-based approaches to rights-based, system-wide inclusion, aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals. Keynote presentations highlighted major policy milestones, including the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act (2013), expansion of disability allowances to approximately 3.8 million registered beneficiaries, and ongoing reforms under the National Action Plan on Disability. At the same time, speakers underscored critical challenges such as fragmented governance, weak enforcement, social stigma, accessibility barriers, and inconsistent disability data across national surveys, which lead to undercounting and under-action.
Three thematic sessions structured the core dialogue. Thematic Session 1 (Decent Work and Social Protection) revealed stark labour market exclusion, with labour force participation among persons with disabilities at just 22.5%, and highlighted promising practices such as the ILO-supported Employment Injury Scheme pilot, inclusive employer networks, and integrated livelihood models. Thematic Session 2 (Inclusive Education, Caregiver and Community Support) showcased evidence from inclusive education, early childhood development, and child protection initiatives, demonstrating that early intervention, teacher training, caregiver empowerment, and community-based systems are essential for lifelong inclusion. Thematic Session 3 (Accessible Infrastructure and Digital Inclusion) focused on universal design, digital skills, climate-resilient infrastructure, and technology-enabled livelihoods, particularly for youth and women with disabilities.
Across sessions, participants strongly affirmed the leadership role of OPDs, the need for harmonized disability-disaggregated data, and the importance of coordinated action across ministries and sectors. The symposium concluded with a collective pledge to work toward an “Equal Bangladesh,” endorsing a strategic roadmap built on four pillars: data and evidence-driven policy, needs-based social protection reform, economic inclusion, and strengthened governance and accountability. The event reaffirmed national and international commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are recognized not as dependents, but as active contributors to Bangladesh’s social, economic, and digital future
