It was found from various sources that less than 0.29 percent of the disabled population are aware of their rights, while non-implementation of legislations along with this unawareness have made their existence difficult.

Today is the international disability day. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimation, at least 14 million people are disabled in the country while about one million of them live in the capital.

Babul Gazi, a rickshaw-van puller of Rupnagar, Mirpur, become disabled a year ago when criminals attacked him to snatch his three wheeler.

He said two well-dressed persons had rented his van to carry some goods from Panthapath to Mohammadpur and had offered him a cup of tea from a roadside stall before loading the goods on his van.

"After drinking the tea, I don't know what happened to me," said Babul, who was rescued from Banani, with critical injuries in both his arms and legs, by another rickshaw-puller. His family found him at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) three days later.

After this incident Babul had to totally depend on his wife for his livelihood for almost six months but as he realised that is fighting a never-ending battle, he came out to overcome his disability.

He started a small business and has become self-dependent.

"I lost only the ability to walk, but did not lose it all. I believe I can fight the obstacles that come my way and will continue to do so," Babul said.

Babul knew nothing about rights of the disabled or even the legislations for their welfare. When he learnt of the legislations existing for the welfare of the disabled people, he said, 'only unified fight from the disabled people could bring them their rights.'

Mosharraf Hossain, a physically challenged person and country representative of the Action on Disability and Development talked to Star City on the present condition of the disabled people in the country.

He said that the Disability Welfare Act 2001 ensured these people some rights but lack of implementation of the act had kept them at bay.

He said that according to the act there should be a 10 percent quota for the disabled people in the jobs of the Public Service Commission but they are yet to enjoy this quota.

Lack of employment obstacles the empowerment of the disabled people and push them into more difficulties, he said.

On educational facilities, he said the system itself is discriminatory as the education ministry handles the education of the mainstream children and the social welfare ministry arranges education for the disabled children.

"It shows that education for the disabled people is a matter of welfare," he said.

The country has at least 34 lakh disabled children of school going age, but the social ministry has accommodation for only 2,000 children in their schools across the country.

Department of Primary Education in 2002, in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID) and Cambridge University Consortium conducted a survey on educating children in difficult circumstances and children with disabilities. The study found that about 18 percent disabled children gained access into schools run by NGOs, and only four percent of such children were enrolled into normal schools.

Mosharraf said that the disabled people are discriminated no matter if the stream is education, transportation, health care services or employment. Empowerment of these people can solve such discrimination problems, but democracy is essential, he said adding that at least 75 lakh legitimate voters in the country are disabled and they "do have their say."

"For democracy a fair election is compulsory and I as a physically challenged individual myself, hold on to my slogan that 'participation of disabled people ensures free and fair elections," he said.