RANGPUR, Sept 26, 2021 (BSS) – Speakers at an interface meeting today
stressed on inclusion of disabled people in the selection process of
beneficiaries in the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programme at
union levels.

They viewed this at the interface meeting titled ‘VGD affairs
community score card’ organised by Rangdhanu District Protibondhi
Adhikar Sangstha (RDPAS), Rangpur at Gopalpur union parishad hall room
in Badarganj upazila of the district.

Access Bangladesh Foundation and Commonwealth Foundation extended
assistance in arranging the event participated by 60 people, including
Members and Secretary of Gopalpur union parishad, civil society
members, disabled people and local elite.

Gopalpur union parishad Chairman Md Azizur Rahman attended the event
as the chief guest with President of RDPAS Md Rabiul Islam in the
chair.

General Secretary of RDPAS Md Hasanur Rahman (Helal) moderated the event.

Community Organiser of RDPAS Md Atiar Rahman delivered a keynote essay
narrating statistics and social status of disabled population and
negligible number of VGD beneficiaries among them in Gopalpur union.

The speakers proposed involving representatives of the disabled
population in the selection process of VGD beneficiaries to bring more
women with disabilities under the programme for their inclusive
development.

The chief guest lauded the government for taking many steps like VDG,
allowances, training and other programmes for disabled people to turn
them into productive human resources for their mainstreaming to attain
the SDGs.

He expressed commitment to involve representatives of the physically
challenged and intellectually retarded people in the process of
selecting VGD beneficiaries and implement more development activities
for disabled people.

“We will bring all disabled people of Gopalpur union under the massive
social safety net programmes of the government and provide them
training for their engagement with income generating activities to
achieve self-reliance,” he said.