Access Bangladesh Foundation arranged a post-budget reaction meeting on “National Budget 2022-23: Status of persons with disabilities” on 13^th June, Monday 2022 in collaboration with Disability Rights Fund, DCF,NCDW, Sitakund Federation, Turning Point Foundation, WDDF, B-Scan, SDSL, NGDO, VIPS, NOAC, DWS, Porosh Protibandhi Unnayan Sangstha, Rangdhonu Zila Protibandhi Adhikar Sangstha, Spondon Protibandhi Unnayan Sangstha, Narsingdi DPOD, Joyer Pathe Protibandhi Unnayan Sangstha, BPUS, NADPO, Protik Mohila O Sishu Sangstha & JPNUS at Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah Hall of National Press Club, Dhaka. The meeting was chaired by  Ashrafun Nahar Misti, Executive Director of WDDF and started with the welcome speech of Nasrin Jahan, the Executive Director of DCF.

Albert Mollah, Executive Director of Access Bangladesh Foundation presented an analysis of the proposed national budget 2022-23 from a disability perspective. He thanked the Honorable Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Planning Minister and Government of Bangladesh for increasing the number of beneficiaries for disability allowance by 3 lac 57 thousand, increasing disability allowance from 750 taka to 850 taka monthly, allocating 120 crore taka for the construction of sports complex for persons with disabilities and 40 crore taka for cochlear implant program. He also thanked for abolishing all existing tariffs on the importation of specialized wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, exempting VAT on Braille printing material, reducing import duty on the battery for hearing aid from 25% to 5%, amending the existing provisions for employers who employ 10 percent or more than 25 persons with disabilities (the employer will be entitled to get 75 percent of the salary paid to these people or 5 percent of the tax payable, whichever is less, as tax rebate).

“The allocation for persons with disabilities is only two 2.52% of the total allocation for social safety net programs which is only 0.42% of the total national budget. This allocation is insignificant in addressing the needs of persons with disabilities. Though a large portion of children with disabilities remains out of education, budget allocation and number of beneficiaries remain unchanged in education head for the last four consecutive years. This will hamper the inclusive development of persons with disabilities” stated Albert Mollah.

Salma Mahbub, General Secretary of B-Scan presented 10 recommendations for reconsideration in the revised budget. Major recommendations are to allocate the minimum monthly disability allowance of Tk. 2,000 for each person with disability, initiate budget allocation for the caregivers of persons with severe type of disabilities those who need full time carer, increase stipend for at least  2 lac student with disabilities , initiate separate stipend program for the students with disabilities of technical education institutions , provide direction to include persons with disabilities with special focus on women with disabilities in the different skill development schemes  and entrepreneurship development programs related to women provisioned in the safety-net, allocate budget to increase informational and infrastructural accessibility for persons with disabilities in basic services, exempt VAT and Tax on other necessary assistive devices like tricycle, scooter, mobile ramp, white cane, hearing aid, speech to text, text to speech, accessible mobile apps, keyboard, large font printer and screen reading software, exempt all type of VAT and taxes from FDR, DPS and Sanchyapatra of persons with disabilities, exempt VAT and taxes on manufacturing or importing passenger buses with power or manual ramps, allocate ministry wise budget for inclusive development and allocate budget for implementation of disability-related national action plan.

All the speakers in the meeting expressed their solidarity with these demands.

A total of 80 representatives from Non-Government Organizations, International Organizations, journalists, persons with disabilities, civil society and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) attended the post-budget reaction meeting. Mohua Paul, Chairperson of Access Bangladesh Foundation concludes the meeting with thanks.