As many as nine associations of physically challenged people in Bangladesh have given a clarion call to employ more differently-abled people in Bangladesh’s growing readymade garment industry, based on their abilities and not disabilities.
According to media reports, representatives of the nine associations made this appeal while meeting with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Vice-President Shahidullah Azim recently and urged him to encourage BGMEA member factories to employ more disabled people.
The representative further, reportedly, maintained that “around 10 per cent of the total population in the country are disabled to some extent and they are often treated as burden on families due to lack of employment opportunities” while also adding that despite having the provision of 5 per cent rebate on the total tax of a taxpayer if 10 per cent of the total workforce are disabled employees, many employers were unable to recruit physically challenged people even as they added that if the tax rebate rule is amended to 2 per cent of the workforce, it will pave the way for creating more employment opportunities for the disabled people.
“…we will request our members to recruit more people with disabilities in their factories,” reportedly, maintained the BGMEA Vice-President even as he agreed with their proposal of amendment to the tax rebate provision and added that many garment factories in Bangladesh were employing physically challenged people while also underlining that physically challenged people are also part of the society and want to lead a dignified life by taking part in the