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BPKS was established in 1985 by the current Executive Director, Md. Abdus Sattar Dulal. It was established as, and remains, an organisation working to ensure the rights of disabled people, to improve the socio-economic status of people with disabilities and to accelerate the development process through the participation of people with disabilities in Bangladeshi society. BPKS was established during the first UN Decade for Disabled Persons (1983-1992), the first international campaign of action focussing on the rights of disabled people.

In 1993 Disabled Peoplesโ€™ International, Networks with BPKS and the Government of Bangladesh held a Regional Leadership training seminar in Dhaka. This seminar was a turning point for the disability movement in Bangladesh, as, after this time, disability has been thought of as a development and not a welfare issue.

Disabled Peoplesโ€™ International (DPI) has had a strong influence on BPKS became a member organisation in 1992. BPKS is also known as Disabled Peoplesโ€™ International, Bangladesh.

BPKS began as a job placement, vocational training, advocacy, community based rehabilitation and awareness raising organisation. In 1996, BPKS changed its approach as it saw that the needs and expectations of people with disabilities were not being met with current programs and services. Also, BPKS was aware that there was no effective grassroots disabled peoplesโ€™ movement in Bangladesh.

As a result of this, BPKS changed its approach and developed a new strategy, Persons with Disabilitiesโ€™ Self-Initiative to Development. This strategy was introduced in 1996. Since it began, over 10,000 people with disabilities as well as their families and communities have benefited from BPKS program.