"I will also see to other demands of the disabled students in consultation with the social welfare ministry," said the minister at a scholarship giving function at BIRDEM auditorium.

Bangladesh Organisation for Disabled Advancement (BODA) organised the function to give scholarship to the disabled students.

"The physically challenged can never be the burden of the society, rather by dint of proper education and training they can prosper to the fullest of their potentials," Dr Farruk said.

All people including the disabled have equal socio-economic and political rights in all countries of the world, but it is sadly noticed that people in our country have a kind of negligence to them, he said.

The minister urged all to look at the disabled as normal persons.

Ishak Bhuiyan, managing director of National Disabled Development Foundation, said it is not fair that many schools refuse to give admission to the disabled students.

He urged the government to issue an order so that no school could refuse admission of the physically challenged.

Bhuiyan also called on the government to give stipend to the disabled for higher studies as their education is more expensive than the normal students.

BODA Chairman Md Syedul Haq Sayeed said there are one crore 40 lakh disabled people in the country that represents 10 percent of the total population.

"If these people do not get education or training, the country will be deprived of their service which is a great loss to the nation," he added.

Sayeed said the BODA might arrange monthly stipend for disabled students if government extends necessary cooperation in this respect.

BODA Executive Director M Khalilur Rahman called upon the disabled to follow the example of Helen Keller who was blind but enlightened herself with the light of knowledge.

BODA gave stipend to 95 disabled students who are studying in university, college and school. Each student got Tk 1200.