Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Monday that necessary funds would be allocated in the next budget for the welfare of the country's disabled people, with a view to facilitating their education and training.
"The highest emphasis will be given to education and training of the disabled people," he said at a pre-budget meeting at the ministry conference room with leaders of National Disabled Forum and Parliamentary Caucus on Persons with Disabilities.
The minister said the matter of supplying Braille books to the disabled people had also been discussed last year. "We could not supply the Braille books last year. Let's see if we can do something for it in the coming budget."
He added the highest responsibility for welfare of the disabled people rested with the ministry of education. They could incorporate various issues targeting the disabled people in their educational programmes.
Mr Muhith said allocation for the disabled was very poor as the country's total resource for public expenditure was really low.
"The budget for the ministries has doubled already. We can now ask different ministries to keep some allocations for the disabled people. If needed, the ministries can take separate programmes for them," he said.
The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced construction of a sports complex for the disabled. "It has now become a responsibility for us to build the complex immediately."
In their speeches, leaders of National Disabled Forum (NDF) urged the minister to raise allocations for the disabled people of society targeting their welfare. They also requested the minister to keep special allocations for the disabled people in 12 ministries, such as primary and mass education, health, social welfare, women and children's affair, education, local government, youth and sports, public works, food and disaster management, culture, planning, and labour and employment.
NDF president Saidul Huq, vice president Selina Akter, and secretary general Mizanur Rahman spoke, among others, on the occasion.
The discussion was moderated by chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on Persons with Disabilities Abdul Matin Khasru, MP. Members of the Caucus Rafiqul Islam, MP, Waresat Hossain Belal, MP, Enamur Rahman, MP, and Shirin Akter, MP also spoke, among others.
