They also demanded prioritisation of education for the persons with disability and special employment opportunity for them.

The view exchange meeting titled 'National budget 2007-2008: Expectations and achievements of disabled people' organised by National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) was held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium in the city.

Speaking at the programme, NFOWD President Khandaker Jahurul Alam said that in the proposed budget the government has decided to distribute Tk 220 per month to two lakh disabled persons of the country.

"We propose to increase the amount to Tk 300 per person and to increase the number of disabled persons to 3 lakh who would come under the government's safety net", he said adding "this would cost Tk 47.2 crore more from the national exchequer".

Regarding their employment, he said nothing was specifically mentioned in the proposed budget.

For the persons with disability, Bangladesh has an action plan and all the ministries should be properly incorporated in mainstreaming the disabled people.

He also said all kinds of instruments used by disabled people and the raw materials used for making these instruments should be exempted from tariffs.

Regarding their health, he said that in the proposed budget nothing specific was mentioned. He also suggested setting up orthopaedic department in every district level hospital and appointing a physiotherapist in every upazila level hospital.

On housing and rehabilitation of disabled people, he said that in distributing khas land, they should get priority.

Terming the present government friendly to the issues of disabled people, he expressed hope that the caretaker government would take proper steps for mainstreaming their issues.

Khandaker Jahurul Alam chaired the programme while its Acting Secretary General M Khalilur Rahman, Director Dr Nafisur Rahman and Mahbub Kabir of ActionAid Bangladesh also spoke.