The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The World Bank has proposed taking up of a five year long programme, costing 35 million dollars benefiting the handicapped and vulnerable children in Bangladesh.

The offer was made by country director of the WB Xian Zhu when he met the special assistant to the chief adviser in charge of social welfare, post and telecommunication ministry Brigadier General (retd) MA Malek at his secretariat office on Sunday.

Malek thanked the WB authorities for the proposal and offered all possible cooperation to implement the project.

The project aims at raising and developing the standard of services at the government and the NGO sector for the handicapped and vulnerable children, widening the scope of services for the welfare and rehabilitation of these deprived people.

It also aims at preparing policies befitting the time in the light of international charter by developing the partnership between the government and the NGOs. Besides, it aims at raising the capabilities of the social welfare ministry and the organisations under it, said a release of the ministry.

The special assistant said, it would not be possible to achieve the desired national prosperity if the deprived children and the handicaps are not included in the development works.

In the light of this reality the government is implementing different programmes, attaching priority to the improvement of these neglected group of people, he added.

The government is encouraging participation of the NGOs in this programmes, Malek said adding, the government would also welcome the development partners in these programmes.

The WB country director observed that if the handicapped and deprived children remain neglected, they would become a burden to the nation and the society.

If helped to become a productive manpower they could also be able to contribute in national development, he noted.

The WB country director praised the government's role in different programmes in this regard. Describing the WB as one of the partners in Bangladesh's development activities, he expressed his sincere desire to expand the banks partnership further in social safety programmes.