Barriers persist for minorities

Minority communities in Bangladesh continue to face significant barriers in accessing public services, with rural people facing the biggest challenges, according to a study released yesterday.
While the situation has improved a bit in urban areas like Dhaka and Chattogram, challenges still persist in healthcare access, particularly for transgender individuals and people with disabilities, said the study.
In terms of disability care, healthcare facilities lack basic accessibility features, and medical staff remain largely untrained, the study also found.
The study was conducted across nine districts by Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) with support from ActionAid Bangladesh and BRAC University’s Centre for Peace and Justice.
The findings of the study were presented at a seminar organised at Aloki in the capital’s Tejgaon yesterday.
Speaking at the event, Sharmeen Murshid, adviser to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Ministry of Social Welfare, said, “Till now there was no monitoring system or quality evaluation process in the ministries for government projects. Even small organisations prepare progress reports, but this was not the case for the government in the last 16 years.”
“We got to know about the waste of a lot of money on such projects. Also, there is no information on whether the allocated money reaches the people for whom it is allocated,” she added.
The government will work to respond quickly to stop violence against women and child marriage, she said, adding, “Safety, healthcare, and education rights of women will also be protected. All service structures of upazila, district, and division will be made operational by ensuring discipline in the ministries.”
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said, “Politics and bureaucracy have a significant impact on the allowances provided to the underprivileged and minority communities. Those in need often don’t receive their share, while opportunists benefit.”
Manzoor Hasan, executive director of Centre for Peace and Justice, said, “Policy implementation is a major crisis in Bangladesh. Our legal framework must be stronger.”
Rounaq Jahan of RIB and Sebastian Rema, secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, also participated in the discussion.