BRAC Bank, in partnership with the Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN), recently organized the second iteration of ‘EmpowerAbility 2025: Powering Every Ability’ to expedite Bangladesh’s shift towards growth that includes people with disabilities.
The conference, held as part of BRAC Bank’s major CSR project ‘Aporajeyo Ami’ at Le Méridien Dhaka, convened policymakers, business executives, and development allies to turn discussions into tangible actions through collaborations on policies, corporate pledges, and inclusive hiring practices, as per a press statement.
Backed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the event underscored the significance of cooperation across different sectors to create fair opportunities.
Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, adviser to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, graced the occasion as the chief guest, accompanied by Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, the ministry’s secretary; Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, the managing director and CEO of BRAC Bank; Ardashir Kabir, the chairman of BBDN; and Jürgen Menze, a disability inclusion specialist from ILO’s Global Business and Disability Network.
Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, the MD and CEO of BRAC Bank, emphasized the bank’s commitment to inclusion beyond just financial aspects, extending to gender, disability, and broader social aspects.
Ardashir Kabir, the chairman of BBDN, highlighted the shared responsibility, urging the private sector to move beyond intentions to concrete actions. BBDN pledges to continue collaborating with industry leaders to make disability inclusion an integral part of business strategies in Bangladesh.
Dr. Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan, the Ministry of Labour and Employment’s secretary, reiterated the government’s dedication to advancing disability inclusion across all sectors through policy backing, institutional partnerships, and enforcement.
Brigadier General (retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain stressed that genuine inclusion is a matter of justice and called for empowering every individual to contribute fully to achieve true inclusion.
A notable achievement was BBDN signing Memoranda of Understanding with BGMEA and BKMEA to embed disability inclusion in the readymade garment sector, promoting accessible workplaces and inclusive recruitment.
The event garnered support from ILO and GIZ and saw participation from representatives of over 50 organizations, including BRAC, Grameenphone, Akij Group, Mutual Trust Bank, Prime Bank, Eastern Bank, UNDP, Save the Children, among others.