The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Government should implement 'The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,' which is going to come into force from today, to ensure the fundamental rights and equal participation of the disabled people in the country.

It was urged by the general secretary of National Alliance of Disabled Peoples Organisations (NADPO) in a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday.

Jahangir Alam requested for a separate Ministry for the disabled and appointment of a Minister in consultation with the representatives of the disabled people's organisations. Md Jahangir Alam, general secretary of the NADPO, in his keynote paper said, "Seats should be reserved at all levels of local Government bodies, including at least 15 seats in the national parliament for the representatives of the 10 per cent citizens of the country."

"The Government should allocate revenue budget to facilitate the disabled and extend economic and technical cooperation towards strengthening the number of disabled peoples organisations," the general secretary of the NADPO said and added all political parties of the country should commit to include and implement specific programmes for the disabled people in their election manifesto.

The representatives of NADPO hoped that the establishment of the rights and dignity of 15 million disabled people would help them to play a contributive role as human resource rather than as burden on the society.