Bangladesh
Press conference on Budget allocation for PWDs report
National Alliance of Disabled Peoples Organizations (NADPO) is a leading and representing national network of Disabled Peopleโs Organizations (DPOs).
A post budget press conference was organized with the initiative of NADPO, at 11 AM, on Thursday 24th June 2010, at Conference Lounge of National Press Club, on the issue of the "Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the development of Bangladesh", Proposed National Budget 2010-11.
The keynote paper was presented at the press conference by Abdus Sattar Dulal, President of NADPO. In this paper he said that the budget is a prospect and expectation to the citizen. The ten percent (10%) Citizens With Disabilities of the total population of this country are not out of this vision. A satisfactory budget to all citizens might be strength for keeping contribution to ensure good governance and an acceptable government. But reviewing and analyzing the national along with international laws, policy, declarations and convention for PWDs which has been proclaimed and signed by the Government in different times; it is seen that, there is no any reflection of the abovementioned national and international instruments has been happened in the proposed national budget. Suppose, the stuffs of the amount of 100 taka, is being purchased by a person in each day, in which circumlocutory tax is 15 TK. According to that calculation, almost Forty four thousand crore taka is being paid as circumlocatory tax by the 80 millions of citizens (16 millions of PWDs including their family members). Hence, might this budget be PWDs responsive budget? in which the allocation, out of total budget, for more than Sixteen (16) millions of PWDs is near about 0.11% only. The logical answers of different questions of the journalists were being delivered by the participated members of the press conference.
Rights of the PWDs in accordance with the statutory and international laws, present condition of the PWDs and snail pace government activities to bring change in the scenario has been depicted in the press conference and with the optimism of proper allocation for PWDs in the proposed National Budget through their proper inclusion five- proposal and recommendation has been presented to the government through the journalists.
Proposals are as follows:
- Budget should be reconsidered in the light of opinion of the representatives of NADPO.
- The issue of 10% allocation of the proposed National Budget should be reassessed by fixing the development goal of PWDs including the issue of 5% allocation for DPOs should be reviewed.
- Considering the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UN CRPD), Biwako Millenium Frame work for Action (BMFA), Constitution of Bangladesh,National Disability Policy, Action plan along with Bangladesh Disability Welfare Act-2001, financial allocation, in the proposed budget, should be reconsidered but considering niether any personal nor on the basis of sympathy.
- Specific allocation for PWDs, in the development allocations related with all Ministries of Government, should be reassessed in the proposed budget.
- In order to ensure the proper management of National Budget, proper accountability and serious punishment should be ensured.
Finally, He hoped that, Government will review the proposed budget with the reflection of the expectation of PWDs and in this consequence; the PWDs will play a contributive role in development of Bangladesh.
The press conference was conducted with the leadership of Senior Vice-President Showkat Hossain Bhuiyan, Secretary-General Md. Jahangir Alam, Joint Secretary-General Eftekar Hossain Sohel, Executive Member Anwar Hossain Hazari, Mrs. Shamim Kausar and Idris Ali.
Source and Email from: Ishaque Mia,
Coordinator Planning Section, BPKS
By:
When: 7/2/2014
