The new BNP government has its fair share of challenges to address. However, with education long being a neglected sector for the nation, it is of particular importance that the government focuses here.

With that said, while reforms in education must be prioritized, the promise of reform must extend beyond classrooms and curricula to embrace those who have long been excluded: Learners with disabilities. 

As experts at a recent national webinar warned, digital exclusion is a design flaw that has long existed in our country, and unless accessibility is embedded at the core of our education policies, millions will remain locked out of opportunity.

It is indeed disappointing that even popular e-learning platforms continue to fail basic accessibility tests: Videos without captions, PDFs unreadable by screen readers, and navigation systems hostile to those with physical impairments. 

For students with hearing, visual, or cognitive disabilities, such barriers only add to education being more inaccessible. The consequences are deepening inequality, widening skills gaps, and an overall reduction in participation in the economy.

The BNP government must therefore act decisively if it is serious about creating a better Bangladesh for everybody, and this starts with ensuring accessibility in education. This will not happen until persons with disabilities are given a voice and included in policy-making and platform design. 

Inclusive education should never be seen as a luxury but as a legal, moral, and developmental imperative. Bangladesh has spoken at length about building a knowledge-based society and to do so, it must ensure that every learner, regardless of ability, can participate fully.