RANGPUR: Speakers at a discussion yesterday said the present government has taken steps to flourish inherent talents and abilities of the physically challenged people through ensuring their rights to education, health services and human rights, reports BSS.

The district administration, Department of Social Services (DSS) and Rangpur Badhir Sangha (RBS) jointly organised the post-rally discussion at City Social Service Office here in observance of the Bangla Sign Language Day- 2018. Earlier, a huge rally, participated by the physically challenged, autistic and intellectually disabled students, guardians, teachers, officials of government and non-government organisations, civil society members and local elite, was brought out in the city streets.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ruhul Amin Mian attended the discussion, followed by cultural function as the chief guest. Later, he distributed blankets among the poor and distressed people with disabilities on the occasion.

 With Deputy Director of the DSS Abdur Razzaque in the chair, Joint Secretary General of Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled (SWID), Bangladesh Shushanto Bhowmick attended the discussion as special guest. Assistant Director of the DSS Md Abdul Matin also spoke. Abdul Matin narrated the academic, training and extracurricular activities being conducted in different institutions throughout the country for the physically

challenged, disabled, deaf and dumb and vision impaired population. Shushanto Bhowmick discussed the importance of observance of the day and laid stress on mainstreaming and empowering the differently able people through joint efforts of the government and non-government organisations.

He also called upon the government and non-governmental organisations for more coordinated steps to ensure development, empowerment, employment opportunities, constitutional rights and social security for the people with disabilities.

 The chief guest said the present government had increased the number of beneficiaries and allowances for the physically challenged people, one-stop- services and education for taking them into mainstream through ensuring their developments.