Date:4 December 2025, 9AM – 4.30AM
Venue: BCFCC, Carnival Hall, Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh
The event is jointly organized by the UN Agencies in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW), Jatiyo Pratibandhi Unnoyan Foundation (JPUF), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and civil society partners. This collective initiative brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including people with disabilities, youth with disabilities, representatives from national and grassroots OPDs, government ministries, UN agencies, CSOs, private sector networks, and media representatives, who will play a key role in amplifying the event’s messages.
The central objective of this event is to create an inclusive platform for dialogue and engagement, where participants can discuss the most pressing disability-related issues that require national attention. Through collective discussions and shared lived experiences, the event aims to support Bangladesh’s progress toward building a disability-inclusive society and ensuring that no one is left behind in the country’s social and economic development.
Theme: “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress”
Concept Note of National Symposium on International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2025
Event Schedule of National Symposium on International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2025
| Inauguration Session | ||
| 09:30 | Inaugural Remarks on IDPD 2025 Theme | Ms. Kabery Sultana Jyoti |
| 09:35 | Welcome Remarks | Ms. Amrita Rejina Rozario, Country Director, Sightsavers Bangladesh |
| 09:40 | Premier of an Audio Visual on Understanding Disability | |
| 09:45 | Live performance by children with down syndrome | |
| 10.00-10.30 | IDPD 2025 theme and Bangladesh context: challenges and way forward | Revisiting the RRPD Act 2013 and National Action Plan (2018-2025) by Ayon Debnath, Sightsavers Mr. Aminul Arifeen, UNDP Bangladesh |
| 10:30-11:00 | Reflections by panel on the theme and presentations Moderator: Mr. Dr. Nafeesur Rahman, Disability Rights Researcher | Ms. Nasima Akhter, Chair, Equal Bangladesh campaign steering committee Mr. Mosharraf Hossain, Senior Advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court Ms. Mohua Paul, Cofounder, Access Bangladesh Foundation Mr. Khandaker Jahurul Alam, Executive Director, CSID |
| 11:00-11:20 | Speech by Guest of Honour | Ms. Tessa Murphy Head of Global Campaigns, Sightsavers, UK |
| Mr. James Goldman Deputy High Commissioner of the British High Commission and Development Director | ||
| Mr. Max Tunon Country Director, ILO | ||
| Mr. Stefan Liller Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh | ||
| 11:20-11:25 | Speech by Special Guest | Mr. Dr. Mohammad Abu Yusuf Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare |
| 11:25-11:35 | Speech by Honourable Chief Guest | H.E. Ms. Sharmeen S. Murshid Hon’ble Advisor, Ministry of Social Welfare Government of Bangladesh |
| 11.35-11.40 | Vote of thanks | Mr. Saidul Haque Executive Director, BERDO |
| 11:40-11:50 | Crest Handover: Acknowledging the Contributions of the Presenters | |
| Thematic session 01: Decent Work and Social Protection | ||
| 11:50-12:50 | Moderator: Farjana Reza, ILO Discussant 1: Dr. M. A. Razzaque, Chairman, RAPID Discussant 2. Ms. Syeda Samara Mortada, UNWomen Bangladesh | Presentation 1: Disability Insights from Labour Force Survey (DILFS) 2022 Bangladesh Presenter: Ms. Aziza Rahman, Deputy Director, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Presentation 2: Improved Disability Assessment & Compensations for Workers Presenter: Mr. Saad Gilani, Chief Technical Advisor, ILO Presentation 3: Building Inclusive Pathways to Decent Work and Livelihoods for Persons with Disabilities in Chattogram, Bangladesh Presenter: Dr. Md. Arifur Rahman, Chief Executive Director, Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) Presentation 4: To facilitate a disability-inclusive workforce in Bangladesh Presenter: Arup Ratan Chowdhury, Program Manager, Bangladesh Business & Disability Network (BBDN) |
| 12:50-13:00 | Questions and Answers | |
| 13:00-14:00 | Prayer, Lunch & Networking Break | |
| Thematic Session 2: Inclusive & Quality Education, Care-Giver, Community-Support | ||
| 14:00-14:50 | Moderator: Mr. Sardar A Razzak, DSSB Discussant 1: Dr Rajesh Narwal, Deputy WHO Representative Discussant 2: Mr. Mahbubul Munir, SWID Bangladesh Discussant 3: Ms. Sharmin Akbari, BRAC | Presentation 5: Inclusive Education Project: Disability Inclusive Development TO-45 (Shikhbo Sobai) Presenter: Md. Jahangir Alam, Senior Coordinator, Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) Presentation 6: Assessing the quality of early learning environments in rural Government pre-primary classrooms in Bangladesh Presenter: Mohammad Abdul Awal Miah, icddr,b Presentation 7: Community-Based Inclusive Child Protection: Strengthening Caregiver Support, Community Engagement and Well-being of Children with Disabilities in Bangladesh Presenter: Mr. Iftekhar Ahmed, Director, Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) |
| 14:50-15:00 | Questions and Answers | |
| 15.00-15.10 | Live performance and premier of audio visual | |
| 15:15-16: 10 | Moderator: K.S. Rana, Sightsavers Discussant 1: Ms. Ashrafunnnahar Misti, WDDF Discussant 3: Mr. Vashkar Bhattacharjee, A2I | Presentation 8: Empowering Persons with Disabilities through Enhanced Accessibility and Digital Inclusion Presenter: Mr. Uzzol Hosen, Access Bangladesh Foundation Presentation 9: Innovation to Inclusion in the Digital Age Presenter: Mr. Asim Dio, UNDP Bangladesh Presentation 10: Disability-Inclusive Climate and Disaster Resilience Presenter: Ms. Tahmina Tamanna, Climate Resilient Infrastructure Analyst, LoGIC Project, UNDP |
| 16.10-16:20 | Questions and Answers | |
| 16:20- 16.25 | Speech by Special Guest | Dr Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh (TBF) |
| 16:25- 16.30 | Speech by Special Guest | Mr. Muhammad Hiruzzaman ndc Director General (Additional Secretary) National Institute of Mass Communication Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |
| 16:30- 16.35 | Speech by Special Guest | Mr. Mohammad Khaled Hasan Additional Secretary, Cabinet Division |
| 16:35- 16.40 | Way forward and Closing Remarks | Mr. Md. Saidur Rahman Khan DG, Department of Social Services, MOSW |
| 16:40- 16.45 | Vote of thanks | Ms. Murshida Sharmin Joint Secretary, SVRS and Social Protection Branch, Cabinet Division |
