Speakers at a workshop urged the government to count persons with disabilities properly in the upcoming Sixth Population and Housing Census 2021 and Comprehensive Disability Survey.
They also suggested following the disability law and including recognised 12 types of disabilities in the question No 19 of the census questionnaire, according to a press release.
Access Bangladesh Foundation arranged the workshop titled “Engagement of OPDs in the 6th Population and Housing Census 2021 and Comprehensive Disability Survey” recently in association with partner Organizations of Persons with Disabilities(OPDs)-DCF, NCDW, Sitakund Federation, Turning Point and WDDF with the financial support of Disability Rights Fund.
The workshop was facilitated by Co-Founder and Executive Director Albert Mollah.
Mohua Paul, Co-Founder of Access Bangladesh delivered her welcome speech in the workshop.
Albert Mollah oriented the leaders and representatives of OPDs about census 2021 and comprehensive disability survey- background, objectives, need of census, questionnaire, ways of OPDs engagement in the upcoming census and comprehensive disability survey.
OPDs engagement strategy was formulated in consultation with all the participants in the workshop.
Mr Mollah pointed out that there is no reliable data on disability in Bangladesh for example, 2011 census has put a figure of 1.41 per cent, 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES-sample survey) estimates 9.07 per cent, 2016 (HIES-Sample Survey)- 6.94 per cent, and Disability Information System (nationwide) 2.17 per cent (till December 2020).
So it is really important to address the problem in the Sixth Population and Housing Census 2021 to plan and allocate resources appropriately for the development of persons with disabilities, he added.
A set of recommendations to include persons with disabilities in the census 2021 and comprehensive disability survey was given in the workshop to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).