A two-day Equal Bangladesh Campaign Partners’ Workshop concluded at The Six Seasons Hotel in Dhaka on Sunday, bringing together leading disability rights activists, campaign partners, and representatives from Sightsavers to discuss advocacy priorities ahead of the upcoming national election and review strategies for 2026.
The workshop, organized under the Equal Bangladesh campaign with Sightsavers acting as the secretariat, aimed to strengthen collaboration among organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and enhance campaigning capacity for disability-inclusive development.
The opening session on Saturday featured welcome remarks from Amrita Rejina Rozario, country director, Sightsavers Bangladesh, followed by an outline of the agenda. Nasima Akter, campaign chair, and Tessa Murphy, head of global campaigns, Sightsavers, also addressed participants, emphasizing coordinated advocacy efforts to advance disability rights.
A team-building exercise preceded an in-depth review of the campaign’s 2025 progress, presented by Ayon Debnath, Dr Nafeesur Rahman, and partners. Participants also viewed new social media videos under the campaign, including Nasima Akhter’s Journey for an Equal Bangladesh, which sparked discussion and reflections.
A high-level panel moderated by Jahangir Alam, coordinator at Centre for Disability in Development, discussed Bangladesh’s current political landscape and its implications for disability rights. Disability leaders including Khandakar Jahurul Alam, Abdullah, and Saidul Haque shared insights on the advocacy environment ahead of the national polls. Another session examined the significance of the upcoming election for disability-inclusive development, featuring expert analysis and group discussions.
Later, the workshop focused on the country’s media environment. Kowshik A. Sajib and Kabery Sultana shared reflections on disability reporting through their work with the Dhaka Tribune in the capacity of trainee sub-editors, highlighting the need for more inclusive storytelling and accessible media practices. This was followed by a session on digital inclusion led by Vashkar Bhattacharjee, national consultant at a2i.
The day concluded with a practical session on digital campaigning and social media accessibility facilitated by Rory and Adhara Das.
Day 2 opened with a recap of earlier discussions, followed by a detailed presentation from Ayon Debnath outlining the Equal Bangladesh campaign’s 2026 objectives and findings from its learning review. A key session led by Jahangir Alam underscored the importance of sustained capacity building for OPDs, drawing lessons from previous workshops.
Representatives from UNDP Asim Dio and Social Security Policy Support (SSPS) Aminul Arifeen presented the UN’s priorities for disability inclusion and identified areas for coordinated policy influence. Grassroots perspectives from OPD partners—including Morjina Ahmed, Nasrin Jahan, Shahidul Islam, and Antaj Ali—highlighted ongoing barriers and opportunities in accessibility and participation.
Coalition strengthening and way forward
Participants reviewed the campaign’s coalition structure, including the steering committee, financial arrangements, MPC mechanisms, and communication updates shared by Adhara.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Tessa Murphy, head of global campaigns, Sightsavers, Nasima Akter, campaign chair, and Amrita Rejina Rozario, country director, Sightsavers Bangladesh.
The two-day event reaffirmed the growing momentum within the disability rights movement, with partners committing to strengthened collaboration, accessible advocacy, and an inclusive national development agenda.
