A large number of people from marginalised communities, including hijras and the manta population, remain without National Identity (NID) cards, leaving many unable to access education, healthcare and government social safety-net programmes, speakers said today.
The hijra community was officially recognised in 2013, but most members still lack proper documentation, said Ramisa Chowdhury, a paralegal at Bandhu Welfare Society.
While government statistics put the hijra population at around 12,000, the actual figure is closer to 5 lakh, she said at a conference on the five-year strategic framework for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Many are unable to obtain birth certificates or NIDs, effectively excluding them from basic civic services, she added.
Economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, who moderated the session, cited a white paper prepared during the interim government’s tenure, saying 1.4 crore working-age people had recently entered the labour market, but only 87 lakh had found employment. One in three educated young people is now unemployed, he said.
He also said 3.18 crore people currently live in poverty, while the country’s poverty alleviation framework remains fragile.
Sohanur Rahman of Youth Net Global highlighted the plight of the manta community in Barishal, saying many members are born and die on boats and consequently remain outside the formal documentation system and government safety nets.
Citing Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data, he said 13 percent of residents in Dhaka’s slums are climate refugees from Barishal.
Ashrafun Nahar Misti, representing persons with disabilities, said only one of the country’s 20 major railway stations is disabled-friendly and that, apart from the metro rail, public transport remains largely inaccessible to people with disabilities.
She called for greater emphasis on capacity building rather than relying solely on allowances.
Labour leader Taslima Akhter said 85 percent of workers are employed in the informal sector and called for a national minimum wage and dignified working conditions.
Madhabi Marma, a lawmaker from a reserved seat for the Chittagong Hill Tracts, said geographical isolation prevents many marginalised communities in the hills from accessing education and healthcare. She also stressed the need to protect indigenous people’s land rights.
Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, addressing the event as chief guest, pledged to build a “humane Bangladesh” where marginalised people and those with special needs receive priority.
He said the government aims to achieve its five-year SDG targets within four years and plans to provide therapy services to persons with disabilities at the upazila level through mobile units.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said district-level “Employment Exchanges” would be introduced to connect jobseekers with employers.
The government also plans to recruit 1 lakh social and medical care workers nationwide, 80 percent of whom will be women, he said.
Citizen’s Platform organised the plenary session, titled “Inclusive Development, Five-Year Strategic Framework for Reform and Development (July 2026-June 2031) and SDGs”.
