Md. Arafat Rahman

Disability is a part of biodiversity. Not all disabilities are visible. In some cases, the disability is not permanent. Rather temporary disability is seen in various cases. Bangladesh is thought to have a significant number of people with disabilities. According to various studies, most of the people with disabilities are victims of poverty and low income. It is time to take effective initiatives to improve the living standards of the disabled people. For poverty alleviation and improvement of their living standards it is needed to provide them appropriate treatment, education and training.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an international observance promoted by the United Nations on 3 December since 1992. It has been observed with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called "International Day of Disabled Persons" until 2007. Each year the day focuses on a different issue.

A nationwide disability identification survey program was undertaken in Bangladesh to identify the type of disability, quantify it and determine the exact number of people with disabilities. The pilot-based survey was launched in 2012 with the aim of streamlining the system's effectiveness before it spread across the country. In the 2012-13 financial year, the initiative was taken to conduct house-to-house survey in the rest of the country except the upazilas conducted on a pilot basis.

In the financial year 2013-14, work started by the doctors nominated by the Department of Health and the consultants of the Disability Services and Assistance Centers under the National Disability Development Foundation to determine the type and level of disability of the persons under the survey by age, gender, race, culture or social status. Disability is the condition of not being able to do those tasks in daily life due to impairment. Impairment refers to the condition in which a part or system of the body loses its normal function, partially or completely, transiently or permanently.
The World Health Organization's "International Classification of Impairment, Disability and Handicap (ICIDH)" classifies disability and disability problems into three categories, Impairment, Disability and Handicap. The Bangladesh Disability Welfare Act, 2001 states that, “Disability means a person who is born with a disease or is injured in an accident or is physically handicapped or mentally unbalanced due to malpractice or any other cause and is permanently disabled or out of balance, partially or completely inactive and unable to lead a normal life ".

Types of disability differ on different grounds. For example, based on when it started, 1. Primary Disability: When born with different types of disability, it is called primary disability. 2. Subsequent or acquired disability: If there is a disability after birth due to various reasons, it is called subsequent or acquired disability. Depending on which organ has been affected: 1. Physical disability, 2. Visual disability, 3. Hearing disability, 4. Speech disability, 5. Intellectual disability and 6. Multiple disabilities and according to the degree: a. Mild, b. Moderate, c. Acute and d. Extreme.

The cause of most of the disabilities is not known. But what is known about it can be divided into several categories Which are mentioned below: Common causes: a) Hereditary b) Marital relationship with blood relatives c) Accidents d) High fever e) Poisoning f) Some infections or diseases or tumors of the brain g) Nutrition, vitamins , Iodine deficiency. Birth-related causes: Before birth: a) If the mother is under 18 years of age or above 30 years of age b) Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy c) If the mother has taken any harsh drugs or chemicals during the first three months of pregnancy d) If the mother has special measles during pregnancy e) If the pregnant mother has heart related complications or diabetes and f) If the pregnant mother has different habits such as- drinking alcohol, smoking, using tobacco etc.

Time of birth: a) Immaturity b) Mismanagement during delivery c) If equipment is not used properly during delivery c) Head injury d) Lack of necessary oxygen. After birth: a) Head injury b) Necessary oxygen Deficiency c) Accidents d) High fever e) Poisoning f) Some infections, diseases and tumors in the brain too. Usually these are the reasons for disabled boys and girls. Mental disability is minor in the early stages but it is usually manifested before the age of three, and the number of disabled boys is about four times higher than that of girls. They are slow to learn and are indifferent to care. Many children repeat a word that is meaningless or spoken by someone else.

Some people are afraid of any particular word. Absence of normal response in pain and dangerous situations is observed in them though there is no lack of emotion in them.

In order to provide free physiotherapy and other medical assistance to the disabled people of the country, during the tenure of the present government, disability services and help centers were introduced in five districts of the country for the first time. On April 2, 2010, Bangladesh govt. officially inaugurated the Disability Services and Help Center. As the service activities of the Disability Services and Relief Centers have been appreciated in various quarters, 10 more renewed in the financial year 2010-2011, and 35 more centers renewed in 2012-13.

Disability services and help centers have been expanded. One disability service and help center will be introduced in each upazila of the country in phases. The National Disability Development Foundation launched an Autism Resource Center on its own campus. The following services are provided from the center: Providing teletherapy, group therapy, referral services including daily routine training, providing counseling services to parents of autistic children.

Home intervention facility is also being provided from this center. Various training programs have been implemented at the initiative of the foundation to make the general public aware about autism and other disabilities. People with disabilities as well as their parents and guardians are being involved in these trainings. In addition, internal and external training has been imparted to develop the manpower efficiently.

A center called National Special Education Center is being run in Mirpur, Dhaka under the National Disability Development Foundation to provide education to students with special needs. The main objective of the center is to create skilled manpower required for the education, training and rehabilitation of students with disabilities, and to create awareness among the people at all levels including the manufacture and distribution of special education materials. The center has special education teacher training colleges, hostels and resource sections.

The writer is a, Columnist Official of Southeast University, Dhaka