Bangladesh Lists 3.84m People with Disabilities: DSS

Bangladesh has registered 3.84 million persons with disabilities across 12 official categories, government officials said at an event on inclusive education and disability services.

Md Saidur Rahman Khan, director general of the Department of Social Services (DSS), said 3.45 million registered individuals currently receive allowances, while 81,000 students are supported through school scholarships.

He made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the Shikhbo Shobai (Everyone Will Learn) project, held on 11 December at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. The event highlighted progress in inclusive education and outlined plans for sustained support.

Saidur Rahman Khan stressed the need for collective action, noting that many schools remain unsuitable for children with disabilities without broader community and institutional engagement. He added that 64 Visual i-centres now operate across the country and that various training programmes, including handicrafts, aim to promote economic inclusion.

Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman, director general of the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), announced plans to bring 1 crore children under a nationwide school feeding programme, operating five days a week to improve access and retention in schools.

Shona Moni Chakma, director of programmes at JPUF, said the country currently has 54 dedicated schools and 12 specially equipped institutions, though many mainstream schools remain inaccessible to children with disabilities.

Martin Dawson, development counsellor at the British High Commission in Dhaka, said children with disabilities remain excluded from education in large numbers, leaving “thousands of dreams on hold.” He noted that the project helped address these barriers.

Amrita Rejina Rozario, country director of Sightsavers Bangladesh, said the initiative showed how collaboration among communities, schools and policymakers can remove obstacles to learning. She described the journey “from home to school” as essential to guaranteeing education for every child.

Hamish Higginson, global technical lead for inclusive education at Sightsavers, said the project strengthened institutional capacity, encouraged teacher innovation, enhanced the role of organisations of persons with disabilities and improved community trust in education.

Launched in April 2022, the Shikhbo Shobai project is led by Sightsavers in partnership with ADD International and Sense International, in collaboration with the DPE. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, it has brought notable improvements to government primary schools in three upazilas of Narsingdi and Sirajganj.