As Bangladesh moves closer to a new election cycle, it is disappointing how little attention political parties are paying to the rights and needs of people with disabilities.
People with disabilities are integral members of our society; they are students, workers, neighbours, parents, and voters. The persistent barriers they face, therefore -- in access to education, employment, healthcare, transportation, even public spaces -- are everyday challenges that impact their economic, social, and political participation for the nation’s growth.
That political platforms are largely silent on these concerns reflects a broader failure of political imagination and priority.
Elections are moments when policy choices should be presented clearly and debated openly, and if issues of inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunity are missing from these conversations, then the voices of people with disabilities are being shut out of the very process that determines their future.
A thriving democracy should invite conversations that include all citizens, but the silence around disability rights in campaign agendas suggests that one of the country’s most marginalized communities is being overlooked yet again.
Bangladesh’s commitment to human rights, equity, and social justice must mean more than mere bold statements. We need to see stronger legal protections against discrimination, enforcement of accessibility standards in public and private infrastructure, targeted employment programmes, inclusive education policies, and comprehensive social safety nets that recognize the additional costs many people with disabilities bear.
Political leaders should not wait for pressure to build before acting. A mature democracy listens to all its citizens -- especially those whose needs are most often ignored.
We must also do our part in demanding that disability rights be taken seriously in policy agendas, not treated as an afterthought. Inclusion is not charity, it is justice -- and this pledge to justice must be at the heart of how Bangladesh progresses.
