PM says "Don't neglect people with disabilities"

Calling upon the countrymen not to neglect the people with disabilities, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today 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.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the ICRC Twenty20 International Cricket Tournament for People with Physical Disabilities at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here this 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.

Mentioning disability is not a disease, rather it is a kind of challenge, the Prime Minister said the players with physical disabilities conquered the challenges setting examples that disability could never stand in the way of pursuing a dream.

She said sports and games have no barriers and even with disability, excellence could be achieved through determination and hard work.

"The people with physical disability are contributing to every sector of the society and cricket should be no different," she added.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that the tournament would bring to mind passion and excitement and go a long way in creating awareness about the capability of the physically challenged people.

"The nine-day tournament would also help understand collective responsibility towards the people with physical disabilities," she said.

Extending her sincere thanks to the ICRC for organising the competition, the Prime Minister assured of providing her government's continuous support for similar initiatives in future.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Bangladesh Cricket Board and Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) is hosting the nine-day event.

Apart from hosts Bangladesh, England, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan are participating in the tournament.

According to the schedule, Bangladesh is to take on England in the opening match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

The remaining T20 matches of the tournament and the closing ceremony will be held at the BKSP on September 10.