Bangladesh may have shifted from a welfare-based approach to a rights-based framework for persons with disabilities under the 2013 Act, but the gap between legal recognition and lived reality remains a deep source of concern for many, especially young students with disabilities.
Students with disabilities at the country’s leading universities say they continue to face daunting uncertainty about their professional futures, despite the legal guarantees in place.
They cite the absence of proper platforms to showcase their abilities and a lack of institutional support to move forward while confronting social stigma.
Experts argue that this uncertainty stems from a failure of infrastructure rather than individual capability.
As Bangladesh joins the global community today to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” the struggles of disabled university students – and the unanswered questions surrounding their futures – have once again come into focus.
“I believe that if society recognised our abilities, our community could contribute far more,” said Robin, a Social Welfare student at the University of Dhaka (DU).
For Robin, the path to higher education was paved with personal tragedy. Losing his vision at 13 due to a botched surgery, he fought systemic hurdles to secure a place at the nation’s top university. Yet, standing on campus, he admits to feeling unsure about how far he can realistically go.
His primary concern is not a lack of talent, but the lack of structural support to demonstrate it. “We have no dedicated platform to showcase our talent, no talent hunts, and no initiatives to highlight our abilities.”
Without such platforms, the transition from university to a meaningful career remains a profound source of anxiety for Robin and his peers. That fear is not merely personal – it is reflected in troubling national data.
According to a preliminary report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2021), an estimated 2.80% of the country’s population has at least one form of disability.
A study by the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) and icddr,b shows that 73.8% of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh experience depressive symptoms, while 62.6% struggle with anxiety. The figures highlight the severe mental-health toll of systemic exclusion.
This reality is echoed in the experiences of students like Md Mustakim, a Mass Communication and Journalism student at Dhaka University, who confronts daily battles for social acceptance.
Born with a disability, he grew up learning to shield himself from hurtful remarks from neighbours – negativity his parents tried tirelessly to counter.
Over time, Mustakim has learned to fortify himself against stigma. “In the end, I go back to feeling normal again,” he says, adding that he no longer considers his condition a weakness.
While he appreciates that students with special needs face the same academic expectations as others at university level, the confidence that keeps him going comes mostly from personal resilience rather than institutional support.
“We often say ‘they’ are disabled, but the obstacles are created by us. Our roads, transport, buildings – none of it is disability-friendly. Even if they want to, they cannot be fully included,” said Tawhida Jahan, associate professor at the Department of Communication Disorders, University of Dhaka.
Jahan identified a major policy gap in essential services, noting that occupational and speech-language therapies are often unavailable locally or unaffordable.
“This is the state’s responsibility,” she said, calling for early screening in schools and a national registry to monitor children’s development. “If we want inclusion, the environment itself must be inclusive first.”
Government officials, however, argue that the structural framework for support is stronger than ever. The Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act 2013 formally recognises 12 categories of disability and guarantees 21 distinct rights, including access to education and employment.
Bijoy Krishna Debnath, additional secretary (Institution and Disability Wing) at the Ministry of Social Welfare, highlighted efforts to streamline support, noting that allowances and education stipends are now managed digitally to ensure transparency.
Regarding the uncertainty faced by students like Robin, Debnath pointed to existing quotas and said that several government schools have already adopted inclusive classrooms.
