UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged all not to neglect the autistic and disabled people as they belong to this society.
“I’ll urge all the healthy citizens of society to be more sympathetic to the autistic and disabled people and extend their hand of sympathy to them,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a function marking the 8th World Autism Awareness Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital. Social Welfare Ministry oraganised the function in collaboration with Health and Family Welfare and Education ministries.
Health Minister Md Nasim spoke on the occasion as a special guest chaired by Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali.
Besides, a special video message of international autism expert Saima Hossain was also screened at the function. Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural programme. “The aim of my government is to groom the autistic and disabled persons as the valuable assets of society not as burden.”
She said, her government has implemented various programmes for the development of the autistic and physically and mentally challenged
people so that the parents of those children and persons do not feel helpless.
“I hope their (autistic and disabled people) lives would be beautiful and more fruitful,” Hasina said adding that her government has also been working to flourish their dormant talents.
The Prime Minister said if scopes are created for flourishing the latent talents of the autistic and the disabled people then the society would be able to gain something from them.
She also called upon all concerned to ensure the inclusion of disabled people in the development activities of the country saying people with disabilities, including autism, are also parts of the society.
Sheikh Hasina said autism is not a disease at all, rather it is a variety of one kind of creation.
Citing negative attitude towards autism-affected children in society, she said autistic children have nothing to do for their disabilities.
“The soft minded children affected with autism could also be invaluable resources of the country if they are properly nourished,” she said.
In this connection, she said many famous personalities, including Einstein, Darwin, Newton, Willium Battler Yeats and Stephen Hawking were autistic by born but autism could not create obstacles towards flourishing their talents.
Sheikh Hasina said, the Awami League-led government has already enacted “Rights of the Persons with Disabilities and their Protection Act, 2013” for ensuring the rights and dignity of people with disabilities as well as enacted the ‘Neuro- Developmental Disabled Protection Trust Act, 2013’ for the welfare of the disabled.
She also listed other government measures for the welfare of the disabled people, including providing education and stipend to the disabled students.
Stressing the need for educating and bringing physically and mentally challenged children under the mainstream of society, Sheikh Hasina said a special integrated education policy has been adopted to this end under which about 10,000 mentally challenged students are getting access to some 50 institutions for their education.
She said, about Tk 9.50 crore has been allocated for the purpose while the activities would be further expanded in the future.
The Prime Minister said the activities of international autism expert Saima Hossain also the chairperson of the national advisory committee of ‘Global Autism Public Health Initiative in Bangladesh’ have already been acclaimed by the world community.
She said, in recognition of her contributions, Saima Hossain has been awarded with ‘Excellence in Public Health Award’ that has brightened the image of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has already started work for setting up of a special academy under the Education Ministry at a cost of Tk 60 crore to bring all people with disabilities, including autistic children, under the main stream of education.
Besides, an autism resource centre has been set up on the National Disability Development Foundation Campus at Mirpur in Dhaka to provide various services free of cost to autistic children and adults.
Highlighting various successes of the physically-challenged players in international sports competition, the Prime Minister said they have brightened the image of the country by achieving gold medals in several times in Para Olympics and Special Olympics. In this connection, she said her government has undertaken a project to construct an International Standard Sports Complex to expand opportunity of sports and games for the people with disabilities.
She said some 103 one stop service centers have already been set up in all the 64 districts to provide physiotherapy and other treatment facilities to the disabled people free of cost while these centers would be expanded up to upazila-level in the future.
Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman on Social Welfare Ministry Md Mojammel Hossain also spoke while Ministry Secretary Nasima Begum gave the address of welcome. State Minister for Social Welfare Promod Mankin gave the vote of thanks.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged all not to neglect the autistic and disabled people as they belong to this society.
“I’ll urge all the healthy citizens of society to be more sympathetic to the autistic and disabled people and extend their hand of sympathy to them,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a function marking the 8th World Autism Awareness Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital. Social Welfare Ministry oraganised the function in collaboration with Health and Family Welfare and Education ministries.
Health Minister Md Nasim spoke on the occasion as a special guest chaired by Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali.
Besides, a special video message of international autism expert Saima Hossain was also screened at the function. Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural programme. “The aim of my government is to groom the autistic and disabled persons as the valuable assets of society not as burden.”
She said, her government has implemented various programmes for the development of the autistic and physically and mentally challenged
people so that the parents of those children and persons do not feel helpless.
“I hope their (autistic and disabled people) lives would be beautiful and more fruitful,” Hasina said adding that her government has also been working to flourish their dormant talents.
The Prime Minister said if scopes are created for flourishing the latent talents of the autistic and the disabled people then the society would be able to gain something from them.
She also called upon all concerned to ensure the inclusion of disabled people in the development activities of the country saying people with disabilities, including autism, are also parts of the society.
Sheikh Hasina said autism is not a disease at all, rather it is a variety of one kind of creation.
Citing negative attitude towards autism-affected children in society, she said autistic children have nothing to do for their disabilities.
“The soft minded children affected with autism could also be invaluable resources of the country if they are properly nourished,” she said.
In this connection, she said many famous personalities, including Einstein, Darwin, Newton, Willium Battler Yeats and Stephen Hawking were autistic by born but autism could not create obstacles towards flourishing their talents.
Sheikh Hasina said, the Awami League-led government has already enacted “Rights of the Persons with Disabilities and their Protection Act, 2013” for ensuring the rights and dignity of people with disabilities as well as enacted the ‘Neuro- Developmental Disabled Protection Trust Act, 2013’ for the welfare of the disabled.
She also listed other government measures for the welfare of the disabled people, including providing education and stipend to the disabled students.
Stressing the need for educating and bringing physically and mentally challenged children under the mainstream of society, Sheikh Hasina said a special integrated education policy has been adopted to this end under which about 10,000 mentally challenged students are getting access to some 50 institutions for their education.
She said, about Tk 9.50 crore has been allocated for the purpose while the activities would be further expanded in the future.
The Prime Minister said the activities of international autism expert Saima Hossain also the chairperson of the national advisory committee of ‘Global Autism Public Health Initiative in Bangladesh’ have already been acclaimed by the world community.
She said, in recognition of her contributions, Saima Hossain has been awarded with ‘Excellence in Public Health Award’ that has brightened the image of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has already started work for setting up of a special academy under the Education Ministry at a cost of Tk 60 crore to bring all people with disabilities, including autistic children, under the main stream of education.
Besides, an autism resource centre has been set up on the National Disability Development Foundation Campus at Mirpur in Dhaka to provide various services free of cost to autistic children and adults.
Highlighting various successes of the physically-challenged players in international sports competition, the Prime Minister said they have brightened the image of the country by achieving gold medals in several times in Para Olympics and Special Olympics. In this connection, she said her government has undertaken a project to construct an International Standard Sports Complex to expand opportunity of sports and games for the people with disabilities.
She said some 103 one stop service centers have already been set up in all the 64 districts to provide physiotherapy and other treatment facilities to the disabled people free of cost while these centers would be expanded up to upazila-level in the future.
Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman on Social Welfare Ministry Md Mojammel Hossain also spoke while Ministry Secretary Nasima Begum gave the address of welcome. State Minister for Social Welfare Promod Mankin gave the vote of thanks.
