History of disability Quota:

Bangladesh is not only one of the most densely populated countries in the world (with 926
persons per square kilometer) but also located in the world's largest delta, facing the Himalayas
in the North, bordering India in the West, North and East, Myanmar in the Southeast, and the
Bay of Bengal in the South. Its geographical position makes the country highly prone to natural
disasters. Crisscrossed by two hundred thirty recognized rivers, each year about 30 per cent of
the net cultivable land is flooded, while during severe floods, which occur every four to seven
years, as much as 60 per cent of the country's net cultivable land is affected. Moreover, since the
Bay of Bengal records the world's most pronounced storm surge disasters, the densely populated
coastal regions of Bangladesh are subject to damaging cyclones almost every year. These are
further compounded by tornadoes that affect the plains almost every year leaving a trail of death
and disability. Economically, Bangladesh has one of the lowest annual per capita incomes in the
world (under 450 US dollars). Even though agriculture is the premium bread earner of the
common person and the nation, it also has the highest percentage of people living in poverty
where the poorest 10 per cent and the middle 75 per cent of the population are acutely and
chronically malnourished respectively. The majority of the population is Muslim and almost all
citizens speak one language, Bangle. A country with a population close to 150 million people, it
has a large human resource base. This is compounded with some natural resources, and a
potential field for tourism that can raise the profile of the country many folds.1

Disability-related legislations and policy framework:

The National Constitution of Bangladesh has numerous provisions that obligate the government
to protect the rights and dignity of all citizens of the country equally and without any bias
whatsoever. It also allows room for additional and or supplementary provisions that will ensure
that citizens who do not have access to all the public amenities are able to obtain such services.
This has given the government ample opportunities to adopt legislative and policy frameworks
for the development of the full potentials of persons with disabilities in the country.
In accordance with all national and international commitments/obligations, and under the
purview of the National Constitution, the Bangladeshi government developed a National Policy
on Disability in 1995. This policy embodies the first official recognition by the government of
the issue of disability as part of development agenda. This policy was given legislative support
when the National Parliament enacted the Disability Welfare Act on 4 April 2001. This law
provides the first ever national definition and classification of disability.
1 Rights of disable people, Khandaker Jahurul Alam, Asia pacific human rights information
center, pg 1-2 http://www.hurights.or.jp

To implement the National Policy on Disability and the Disability Welfare Act, the government
formulated a National Action Plan on 24 September 2006. The Action Plan is very
comprehensive, involving forty-six Ministries and divisions of the government to undertake
specific activities for persons with disabilities. The government has also appointed a focal person
in every division of the Ministries (forty-six focal persons) who can provide the persons with
disabilities the opportunity to get services from the government easily. Bangladesh signed and
ratified in 2007 the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(CRPD). In May 2008 the government signed the CRPD's Optional Protocol.
The Ministry of Social Welfare, the Department of Social Services and the National Foundation
for Development of the Disabled Persons are the three government bodies that cater to the needs
of persons with disabilities.2

Disability Quota in Education:

Dhaka University in Bangladesh Creating Quota for disable
students:

5% quota should be reserved for the students with disabilities in the university admission
process.
Formulation a policy to ensure higher education uninterruptedly for the students with
disabilities.
Set up ramps and disabled friendly spacious and talking lifts in all buildings of the
university and introducing Braille readers and writers at the halls of residence.
Allocation of seats of residential halls should be reserved for student with disabilities
Seats should be reserved for disabled students at university bus which should also be
disabled friendly.
The process of getting scribes (interpreter) for visually impaired persons in delivering
examination should be easy and allowed necessary extra time for examination.
Scholarship should be reserved for the students with disabilities.
Every department of university should appoint a disability sensitive teacher to minimize
the barriers of the disabled students.

2 Rights of disable people, Khandaker Jahurul Alam, Asia pacific human rights information
center. Pg 7-8 http://www.hurights.or.jp

Attitudes of teachers, administrative officers, students should be sensitive to the disabled

students, so, the authority should organize training on disability for those groups in a
view to deal the disability issue from rights based approach.
UGC should constitute a specific guideline on disability for the universities to deal the
students with disabilities and take actions for implementation properly.
Inclusive education should be materialized managing all facilities for the students with
disabilities.
Disability issue should be included at policy making body of university as a serious
agenda to ensure congenial atmosphere for students with disabilities to obtaining higher
education.
Authorities should appoint officials at the university dormitories who would read
newspapers for the visually impaired students.3

Quota for disabled in 33rd BCS exam:

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission has fixed one percent quota for candidates
with disabilities in the 33rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination in line with an
earlier High Court order.
Before the preliminary test, candidates with disabilities will have to apply separately to
the commission with proof of disability. The commission would make special
arrangements for them to take part in the test.
The government on Jan 12, 2012 issued a circular for allocating one percent of the seats
for the disabled in BCS cadre services and all other first and second class government
jobs as well as in the semi-government and autonomous organizations.
The court also asked the authorities to arrange reasonable facilities for the candidates
with disability in the examination halls.4

According to the constitution of Bangladesh, section19, sub-section (1), The State shall
endeavor to ensure equality of opportunity to all citizens.5
In this sense there should be equal opportunity for all citizens but here we see that the disable
people can get the extra opportunity of 5% seat, higher education uninterruptedly, Allocation of
seats of residential halls, Seats for at university bus, easy examination and allowed necessary
3 25 august, 2008. Prothom Alo
4 Quota for disabled in 33rd BCS exam, (bdnews24.com), News Editor Published:
2012-03-27 12:09:29.0
5 PART II, FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY, Equality of opportunity

extra time for examination, Scholarship, sensitive teacher to minimize the barriers etc. but in the
same way one capable candidate cant get the seat and miss the opportunity. They cant use this
opportunity in the education.
On the other hand, in BCS examination, government declared 1% seat, all other first and second
class government jobs as well as in the semi-government and autonomous organizations for the
disable people, and arranges a special environment for them.
The candidate who is seated for this examination has the same or better qualification but cant
get the chance. Due to this quota system he cant passed the exam. This type of quota makes the
positive discrimination. The general people suffer from this but it is appreciated.
This quota system makes the positive discrimination and violates the constitutional rights of
equality.
The quota system is appreciated in the sense that the disable people are not
able to work like the normal people. They are ignored by the society. But as a
citizen of Bangladesh, they also have the right to educate themselves. The
disable quota system makes easy to get chance in this type of organization.
The government now brings some new act for the rights of disable people.
The act called Bangladesh Persons with Disability Welfare Act 2001 6 .
Another act recently brought named Neuro Disabilities Act 2013 approved7

Both this act the highlighted the issues related to providing assistance to
disable people, the rights and their nurture, security and rehabilitation.

Disable peoples Access to Public Sector Employment in Bangladesh

People with disabilities are most vulnerable and deprived segment of the population in
Bangladesh having limited opportunities of education, training and employment. Most of them
are isolated from mainstream society, stigmatized, mistreated and marginalized. However,
inclusion of people from all segment of the society including people with disability in the
6 http://www.newstoday.com.bd
7 http://www.dhakatribune.com

mainstream development activities is necessary for achieving sustainable development and

minimizing inequalities. Appropriate employment opportunities can minimize marginalization,
expedite the inclusion process and enhance mainstreaming of people with disabilities. In
Bangladesh, public sector is the larger provider of employment opportunity. People with
disabilities encounter difficulties to access to the public sector employment although 10 percent
quota for third and fourth grade and 1 percent quota for first and second grade jobs are reserved
for them. In addition, there is a constitutional and legal obligation to ensure equal opportunities
and participation in health education and employment for persons with disabilities. However,
share of persons with disabilities in the public sector employment in Bangladesh is less than 1
percent although they represent more than 10 percent of the total population. The present study
examines the causes why are persons with disabilities in Bangladesh not enjoying equal access to
public sector employment in Bangladesh. The paper argues that Bangladesh could not ensure
equal opportunity for disabled people in the public sector employment because of the negative
perception of Bangladeshi elites towards disadvantaged and marginalized communities including
disabled people, lack of political commitment, negative attitude of community people,
misunderstanding of employers about the capacity and skills of disabled persons and absence of
inclusive education, although the country adopted UN convention and enacted laws for creating
equal opportunity in all aspects of life including employment.8

Employment Quota for Disable people:

The government had declared about two decades back a 10 per cent employment quota for
persons with disabilities and orphans. But this quota has never been properly implemented due to
the lack of sensitivity of employers about the potentialities of persons with disabilities,
contradictory employment policies, loopholes in the system, and a lack of proper monitoring
system. A few years back, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh declared a 1 per cent employment
quota for persons with disabilities in all cadre service (government) jobs.

The Centre for Services and Information on Disability, a non-governmental organization (NGO),
study found that only 5 per cent of the respondents were in government jobs, 17 per cent in
NGOs and 66 per cent were self-employed. Only 22 per cent had been able to find a source of
financial credit (or micro-credit) support.9
8 Md. Abdul Jalil, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology - Department of
Social Work
9 Rights of disable people, Khandaker Jahurul Alam, Asia pacific human rights
information center, pg 4