A Study on accessibility of physically Challenged people to some selected urban services and facilities in Dhaka

Abstract

Disability development in recenl day, is an irit"cg'ralpart of neo-development paradigm all over the world. Integral part in the sense that. a counlry Can not uplift its soeio-economic conditions unless and until people from all strata of lhc society exercise the choice of better feeding, bCllCreconomic opportunities and better social po,ilions. According to the most recent stutistics nllmber of disabled people in Aanglade~b i~ 5.82%. World Health Organization substantiated tbe figure 10% of the 100aipopulalion in developing eOllntries. Wbatever the rate is, they are many things, value judgment of physically challenged people is enonnous. They can do many things as the fit people can do. So, it must be a r«kless endcavor for overall development if protecling thcir righls, dignities and their welfare as well are not protected; can not be ensured with proper legal and administrative mea,ureS. This sludy can pave the way for doing so. It is an at!empt to know the socio-economic & sociocultural conditions of pbysically challenged people and their accessibility scenario to different lIrban scrvices and facilities in Dhaka. "The study area i~ Dhaka, because urban hazards are maximum here that can lead to establish acccssiblc urban service-facilities in cilie, of Bangladesh. Bangladesh hIlSadopt~ National Di>ability Wdfare Act in 1995. There are specifications for di>ability access mentioned in National Building Code -1993 and Dhaka City Building Construction Rule~ -2006. But lack of propet monitoring, implementation and lack of adequate impetus to protect disability rights Dhaka is far below from a 'disability ftiendly' city. The stlldy, however, is willing to prelude tile necessity of conscious and logieal elTon> to make urban services and facilities i.e. education, hcalth, employment and buiit environment accessible to the physically challenged people in Dhaka. The study explored that, physically challenged people are lagging bebind day by day through unconscious but systematic way of dis<;rimination,. They possess POOtIitemcy rate, they are not healthy, they have very limited job opportunities, they are socially and culturally isolated even in their famlly, all the built environment are somewbat totally inacce~,ible to them. Tbe study has also investigated and evaluated the development activities taken by the public and private institutions working in Dhaka wbich arc found discouraging and somewhat ineffective In nature & extent. To make positive changes in socio-economie spheres of PWDs and to make accessible education, health, employment and built environment; the study has produced a 'policyactivity' matrix. The 'policy-activity' matrix comprised of long tenn, mid-term and short tenn activities. Responsible authorities to perfonn the job arc also enlisted In the matrix.