In a joint initiative by the United Nations Bangladesh and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) under Sightsavers’ Equal Bangladesh campaign, persons with disabilities presented a set of specific recommendations to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin to ensure they can exercise their voting rights in the upcoming national election.
The event took place at 11 a.m. on Thursday at the Bangladesh Election Commission Building in Agargaon, Dhaka, bringing together representatives from the Election Commission, the United Nations, Sightsavers, and various OPDs.
During the dialogue, participants called on the Election Commission to take immediate steps to make polling stations accessible for different types of disabilities.
According to organizers, the delegation presented 14 key recommendations to the CEC, including:
Raising awareness among persons with disabilities about the postal voting system
Providing information on the voter registration process
Ensuring safety and security for voters with disabilities inside polling centres
Introducing a postal voting system for persons unable to travel to polling centres
Guaranteeing inclusion of all persons with disabilities in voter registration
Deploying trained female staff at polling centres to assist women voters with disabilities
Other recommendations focused on making election materials accessible, improving polling station infrastructure, and providing disability awareness training for election officials.
“We want to see persons with disabilities included in the mainstream population. We fully agree with the recommendations they have provided,” CEC Nasir Uddin said. “Although we may not be able to implement all the recommendations before the February election, we will take emergency measures to make polling centres as disability-friendly as possible. We will also pursue long-term initiatives to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, in consultation with them.”
Data shared at the event indicates that Bangladesh has over 3 million registered voters with disabilities. However, only an estimated 10% were able to cast their votes in the last national election.
To improve accessibility and participation, the Bangladesh Election Commission, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Sightsavers’ Equal Bangladesh campaign, had previously organised a high-level national consultation on August 31, 2025. The meeting brought together 140 representatives from OPDs, UN agencies, NGOs, INGOs, CSOs, disability rights experts, and senior Election Commission officials.
The consultation identified key barriers faced by persons with disabilities throughout the electoral process, including inaccessible polling centres, lack of information in accessible formats, and insufficient training for election officials. The recommendations presented on Thursday were drawn from those findings, focusing on inclusive infrastructure, voter education, assistive support, and policy enforcement.
Bangladesh ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007 and enacted the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities (RPPD) Act in 2013. Both frameworks guarantee the right of persons with disabilities to vote with dignity, independence, and privacy.
Advocates at the event urged the Election Commission to translate these legal guarantees into practical action, ensuring no eligible voter with a disability is left behind in the upcoming election.
