Jobs fair opens door to world of work for 150 persons with disabilities
Over 150 persons with disabilities successfully found employment at a jobs fair held in Dhaka on 9 December 2017.
Over 150 persons with disabilities successfully found employment at a jobs fair held in Dhaka on 9 December 2017. Organized by the Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) in partnership with Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) and Access Bangladesh Foundation the event brought together 20 leading companies with over 200 young people with disabilities.
Prior to the event, a process took place that saw those looking for work matched with suitable employers. Of those who attended the fair, 80 received letters of appointment as a result of the earlier matchmaking. A further 72 received on-the-spot appointments after having impressed the recruiting companies during the event.
Amongst those taking part was Ratan Chandra Shutradhar. A bout of typhoid when he was a baby left Ratan’s legs disabled. However Ratan was able to complete his education and applied for a job at the Urmi Group as a data entry operator. Ratan received his appointment letter at the fair while Labour Secretary Afroza Khan also committed to provide a wheel chair to assist Ratan’s mobility. Ratan said, “Since my father is a carpenter, therefore my family’s economic condition is not very good. Now I'm able to support my family. This is the best part of getting this job.”
Since my father is a carpenter, therefore my family’s economic condition is not very good. Now I'm able to support my family. This is the best part of getting this job."
Ratan Sutradhar
Meanwhile difficulties walking made it hard for 19-year-old Sohrab Ahmed Shamim to find a job or live a dignified life. However, fortune smiled on him when he received treatment at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP). The CRP authorities referred him to Eco Fab Ltd, a garment factory, where he was able to secure a job as an apprentice. Shammim also received his appointment letter at the fair.
Speaking at the opening of the fair Siddiqur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said, “These specially-abled people are highly motivated to join the workplace. Companies should train them and put them in positions where their passion lies.”
Meanhwhile Labour Secretary Afroza Khan, highlighted the need for similar job fairs for people with disabilities to be held in remote areas where there were few employment opportunities for disabled people. In response, Murteza Rafi Khan, Executive Committee Co-Chair for BBDN gave his commitment to organize fairs in different districts of Bangladesh with the first to be held in Chittagong.
The Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) was launched in 2016 with the support of ILO’s Canadian-funded Bangladesh Skills for Employment Project (BSEP). BBDN is a voluntary group of representatives from business, non-governmental and disabled peoples’ organizations with a primary purpose of helping people with disabilities to find decent work and for employers to recruit staff with disabilities.