People with spinal cord injuries need rehabilitation: Speakers

RAJSHAHI, Nov 16 (BSS): Speakers at a views-sharing meeting here today said people with disabilities caused by spinal cord injuries need community support for their proper rehabilitation.
They viewed that community people should take up the responsibility of creating an enabling environment for them in the society to improve their participation and accessibility to services and resources.
Local unit of Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) and Spinal Cord Injuries Development Association of Bangladesh (SCIDAB) jointly organized the advocacy meeting highlighting the SCIDAB's activities and further expansion. Integrated Disability and Livelihood Project supported the event.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed and Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively with Maksudunnabi Murad, President of SCIDAB, in the chair.
Deputy Director of Department of Social Service Abdul Mannan, CRP Project Coordinator Santunu Dey and center manager Soma Begum also spoke.
During his welcome speech, Anwar Hossain, Secretary of SCIDAB, said the organization was founded to establish the rights of the people with spinal cord injuries.
He said SCIDAB is encouraging SCI people to continue their education, higher education and they have been providing financial assistances for many students.
The core objective of SCIDAB is to organize SCI people in Bangladesh and ensure their mainstream development in the society along with the socio-economic empowerment.
Chief Guest Helaluddin Ahmed said time has come to empower persons with SCI for sustainable growth and development to ensure their rights and entitlement in the society.
Emphasis should be given on establishing policy and rules to exclusively protect the interests of persons with SCI in the society, he added.
Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury said all of us should work together to create a favorable environment for the SCI people by removing various social, economic and infrastructural barriers. He urged all to unite persons with SCI for collective action towards establishing their economic, social, cultural, political and environmental rights in the society.