by Friendship News Desk,
17 May, 2025
On 15 May 2025, Bangladesh marked the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) with a vibrant event jointly organised by Friendship, Aspire to Innovate (a2i), ICT Division, and UNDP Bangladesh.
The event was held at the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka. This Global Accessibility Awareness Day focused on creating spaces with more than just access but also a feeling of belonging for specially-abled individuals. This includes digital environments and devices such as phones, online content, apps, and educational resources that cater to persons with disabilities with ease. The event brought together more than 200 participants from diverse sectors who advocate for disability inclusion.
A2i programme representative and Head of Project Management, Abdullah Al Fahim began the session with welcome remarks. This was followed by an overview presentation by Md. Nahid Alam, Head of the Centre of Innovation Cluster at a2i. He focused on the Disability Innovation Lab (DIL) and other a2i-led digital accessibility initiatives and innovations. They both invited stakeholders to support a2i’s efforts to expand the sphere of accessibility services throughout the nation.
Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, graced the event as the Chief Guest. He spoke of the importance of accessibility through the realisation of the National Digital Transformation Strategy and ICT Reform Roadmap. He encouraged media organisations to incorporate accessibility features into their websites without creating entirely new systems. He further advocated for expanding these efforts to underserved communities in remote regions.
Ayesha Taasin Khan, Senior Director and Head of Inclusive Citizenship at Friendship spoke at the event as well. She said, “the digital world must be usable by everyone, and those who cannot access it are left far behind in real life.” She urged the audience to move from awareness to action so that accessibility is a routine, conscious thought.
Mohammad Monirul Islam, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Division, and Joint Project Director of the a2i Programme, chaired the session. Other distinguished guests attended the event, including Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Shish Haider Chowdhury, Secretary, Information and Communication Technology Division, and Mostafa Kamal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare. Khokon Chandra Barman, a victim of the July 2024 uprising, urged all organisations to include disability-friendly digital services in their work.
A colourful dance performance led by children with disabilities from SWID Bangladesh became a highlight of the event. Three organisations were recognised for their significant contributions to inclusive digital services: Grameenphone’s ‘SignLine’ for providing online customer service in sign language, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) for their ‘Multimedia Talking Book’, and Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC’s ‘CellFin’, a disability-friendly digital banking service.
The event brought together experts from government, private sectors, donor agencies, financial institutions, and media to emphasise the importance of accessibility in digital services. It became a platform for encouraging further inclusive web-based and electronic services throughout Bangladesh.
