Don\\\'t neglect people with disabilities: PM

Calling upon the countrymen not to neglect the people with disabilities, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday said her government is committed to improving their lives to build a society free from all sorts of discrimination.
"I would like to request the people of all strata, including teachers and guardians of the educational institutions, please don't neglect anyone's son or daughter, if he or she is physically challenged," she said while inaugurating the ICRC Twenty20 International Cricket Tournament for People with Physical Disabilities at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the morning.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikdar, President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Nazmul Hasan Papon and the Head of Delegation Bangladesh, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Christine Cipolla, spoke on the occasion.
Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy was present at the dais.
Highlighting her government's different steps for the welfare of the physically-challenged persons, Sheikh Hasina said the people with disabilities could become assets for the country and demonstrate their talent and quality if they are given scope.
"We are trying....we are creating that scope for the people with disabilities. It's a decision of the government to find out the talents and give them a place to the society," she said.
The Prime Minister said her government is working to regain the spirit of the people not to treat the people with disabilities as a burden of the state, society and family.
"Our main goal is to flourish the latent talents and quality of the people with disability by creating scope for them," she said.
Pointing out the success of the physically-challenged people in different international sports competitions, Sheikh Hasina said they will have to be brought under the mainstream of the society.
The Prime Minister said it's not proper to keep anybody out of the society, family and house if he or she is physically-challenged.
"Our boys and girls with disabilities have proved that they could face any challenge and they could bring laurels for the country and nation," she said.
In this connection, the Prime Minister mentioned the success of physically-challenged players who won 70 medals including 21 golds in the Special Olympic and the visually-challenged players in the international cricket.
-SS