Events

Day 1 | 18 January 2026

Inaugural Session

The event opened with a welcome address by Dr Munshi Sulaiman (Research Director, BIGD) and a virtual keynote delivered by Dr Morgon Banks (Associate Professor, ICED, LSHTM). This was followed by remarks from Special Guest, Tahera Jabeen (Social Development Adviser at the British High Commission Dhaka) and Chief Guest, Dr Syed Ferhat Anwar (Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University).

Speakers collectively stressed that without access to reliable and rigorous evidence, efforts by governments, practitioners, and donors to promote economic inclusion are unlikely to be impactful or cost-effective.

Dr Banks highlighted the significant economic costs of excluding persons with disabilities from the labour force, noting that robust evidence on effective interventions to improve employment outcomes for persons with disabilities remains extremely limited.

Dr Ferhat Anwar shared, “Inclusivity is not about defining people by what they lack; it is about recognizing where they can contribute. And when barriers or gaps are appropriately addressed, their ability to contribute grows even further.”

Moderated Panel Discussion | Conceptualizing Economic Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities

The session was moderated by Dr Selim Jahan (Professorial Fellow, BIGD), and featured Sharmind Neelormi (Professor, Jahangirnagar University) and Iftekhar Mahmud (Director, B-SCAN) as discussants.

Professor Neelormi began the session by setting the context for the current state of economic inclusion for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh. Panellists highlighted that while Bangladesh has several formal policies promoting inclusion, weak implementation continues to limit their impact. This is further compounded by ongoing challenges, including climate vulnerability, and limited public sector opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The discussion emphasized the need for life-cycle–based support,  simpler administrative processes, and stronger enforcement, alongside technology-enabled and accountable systems to translate inclusion commitments into meaningful outcomes.

Plenary Session 1 | Livelihood Development and Economic Inclusion

Moderated by Dr Munshi Sulaiman (Research Director, BIGD), the session featured Hossain Ishrath Adib (Senior Director, Ultra-Poor Graduation Programme and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), BRAC) as a discussant. The discussion emphasized sustainability as the central challenge, calling for disability inclusion to be mainstreamed within graduation programs and supported by broader structural reforms.

The session highlighted the strong link between disability and extreme poverty, with Md Golam Kibria (Senior Manager, Disability Inclusion, Ultra-Poor Graduation Programme) opening the session by underscoring that standard graduation models fall short without tailored, disability-inclusive approaches like BRAC’s Disability-Inclusive Ultra-Poor Graduation (DIUPG).

Dr Elija Kipchumba (Research Fellow, BIGD) presented experimental evidence from Northern Uganda showed that such programs generate comparable economic gains for households with and without persons with disabilities, demonstrating that inclusion is both effective and cost-efficient.

Evidence from Bangladesh, presented by Mohima Gomes (Senior Research Associate, BIGD), further showed that DIUPG increased earnings, hours worked, and self-employment for persons with disabilities and caregivers, while improving overall household welfare.

Parallel Session 1 | Inclusive Education and Caregiving for Children with Disabilities

The session, moderated by Dr Shaila Ahmed (Research Fellow and Head of the Gender and Social Development Cluster, BIGD) and featuring Aouana Marzia (Technical Expert – Inclusive Education, Sightsavers) as a discussant, examined how educational exclusion, caregiving burdens, and systemic barriers shape the long-term economic outcomes of children with disabilities in Bangladesh. They called for integrated systems linking inclusive education, caregiving support, and sustainable employment pathways to break entrenched inequality.

Md Al Mahmud’s (Department of International Relations, Gopalganj Science and Technology University) research highlighted how stigma, inaccessible infrastructure, weak policy enforcement, and able-bodied norms within education systems deprioritize schooling and reproduce economic exclusion.

Quantitative research from Maliha Noshin Khan (Senior Research Associate, BIGD) showed that children with moderate to severe disabilities—especially those experiencing multiple disabilities—face significantly lower enrolment and weaker foundational learning outcomes.

Anika Tasnim Prapti’s (Research Associate, BIGD) research on children with autism further revealed how structural failures, high therapy costs, and gendered caregiving responsibilities trap families in cycles of income loss and limited opportunity.

Parallel Session 2 | Advocacy and Representation

Masuma Billah (Programme Head of BRAC gender Justice and Diversity Programme) moderated the session with Dr Narayan C. Das (Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Economics Cluster, BIGD) featured as a discussant. The session explored how advocacy, institutional practices, media narratives, and policy incentives shape the inclusion of persons with disabilities in higher education, public discourse, and formal employment.

Dr David Dowland (Registrar, BRAC University) reflected on persistent barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, highlighting BRAC University’s evolving, student-centered approach while noting that true inclusion requires cultural change beyond top-down policies.

Research by Aeyasha Akter (Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Bangladesh University of Professionals) on media representation found that television advertisements frame disability through tragedy, charity, or inspiration, sidelining rights-based perspectives and everyday agency—especially for women with disabilities.

Findings from another study by Tasnim Jerin Mim (Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka) showed that disability employment tax rebates often result in employers hiring for symbolic compliance, without meaningful inclusion. She argued that the focus on meeting hiring quotas without providing workplace accommodation, job redesign, or employment continuity, is because of weak monitoring and misaligned incentives.

Day 2 | 19 January 2026

Plenary Session 2 | Economic Inclusion for Youth with Disabilities

The session was moderated by Md Nazmus Sakib (Diversity and Inclusion Officer, UNDP) and featured Md Al Imran (Head of Operations, BRAC Skills Development Programme) as a discussant. The session examined employment outcomes for youth with disabilities, combining research evidence, program experience, and policy insights to assess what works for economic inclusion. It focused on understanding real capabilities and identifying evidence-based pathways to dignified work. Sustainable and dignified employment, the session concluded, requires embedding inclusion into program design from the outset.

Ashik Sufi Islam (Senior Research Associate, BIGD) shared evidence from an impact evaluation of the STAR+ program. It showed significant gains in employment—primarily through self-employment—along with increased hours worked and higher monthly earnings. Impacts were comparable across gender and disability severity, with overall employment rising by more than 10 percentage points after accounting for spillovers.

Sapana Basnet (Senior Research Associate, Sightsavers) highlighted participatory research from Bangladesh and Kenya which showed that youth with disabilities have strong aspirations for education and decent work but face barriers related to accessibility, digital inclusion, skills gaps, and discrimination. Inclusive training, workplace accommodations, and coordinated policy support were identified as key enablers.

Parallel Sessions 3 | Inclusive Employment Solutions

Dr Muhammad Shahadat Hossain Siddiquee (Professor of Economics, University of Dhaka) moderated the session with Farjana Reza (National Programme Coordinator, Social Protection, International Labour Organization) featuring as a discussant. Presenters highlighted research into the potential of digital tools to further sustainable inclusion.

Dilmurad Yusupov (Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Tokyo) shared a paper exploring how the specialized digital recruitment platform IshPlus.uz in Uzbekistan connected over 8,000 users and facilitated nearly 700 long-term placements. The experience highlighted that digital tools can improve outcomes when paired with employer sensitization, legal support, and policy engagement, despite persistent structural barriers.

Md Jahirul Islam (Founder and Executive Director, Team Inclusion Bangladesh) highlighted research examining disability inclusion training in financial institutions in Bangladesh. While awareness training improved short-term attitudes, the research emphasized that lasting change requires institutional reform and accountability, as well as alignment with national and international legal frameworks.

Sabikunnahar Niuly (Department of Economics, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University) presentation focused on research on mobile-based vocational training in Khulna, Bangladesh. She presented evidence demonstrating that mobile learning can reduce access barriers and support self-employment pathways, particularly in contexts with limited physical infrastructure.

Parallel Session 4 | Designing Policy and Social Protection for Economic Inclusion

Moderated by Nazma Ara Begum Poppy (National Project Support Officer, UN Women) the session featured Ashrafun Nahar (Founder, Women with Disabilities Development Foundation) as a discussant. The session underscored the gap between policy intent and implementation, citing weak quota enforcement, literacy barriers, and unclear tax rebate frameworks in social protection policy designs. Presenters stressed the need for better data, clearer definitions, and coordinated institutional action to ensure meaningful inclusion.

Shamael Tariba Hossain (Department of Economics, North South University) explored the political economy of disability inclusion in Bangladesh, pointing to fragmented governance, weak labour market integration, and limited mainstreaming in economic policy. She called for stronger inter-ministerial coordination, improved disaggregated data, and systemic reforms to tackle stigma and exclusion.

Ekramul Hasib (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, American International University Bangladesh) assessed the disability allowance program using machine learning and long-term data, emphasizing inclusive design and continuous impact evaluation.

Fernando Morilla-García (PhD in Economics and Business, University of Málaga, Spain) presented comparative evidence from ten European countries, showing that more adequate and progressive cash benefit systems achieve stronger poverty reduction outcomes.

Policy Session

Moderated by Sharmind Neelormi (Professor, Jahangirnagar University), the policy session examined the persistent gap between disability laws and their implementation in Bangladesh. The session also underscored barriers to legal recourse and political participation, reinforcing the need for safe and accountable systems. Overall, speakers called for a decisive shift from welfare-oriented approaches to enforceable, systemic disability inclusion.

Mosharraf Hossain (Chief Executive Consultant, Global Inclusion Consulting), who joined the session virtually, argued that rigorous research must be paired with lived experience to influence policymakers, noting that disability remains marginal in major economic and youth initiatives. He highlighted a timely opportunity under the new government to move beyond stipends toward holistic economic empowerment, including fair wages, assistive technology, and skills development.

Zahidul Kabir (Lead, Disability Inclusion Unit, BRAC) emphasized weak accountability and enforcement, calling for disability inclusion to be mainstreamed across ministries and led by persons with disabilities.

Khandoker Shohel Rana (Advocacy and Communication Coordinator, Sightsavers) stressed that inclusion generates strong social and economic returns, urging rights-based labour laws, proactive accessibility, and needs-based budgeting, especially for women with disabilities.

Closing

The conference concluded by reframing disability as an issue of systemic justice rather than individual limitation. Speakers emphasized that meaningful inclusion requires structural change, not charity.

Dr Arshad Mahmud Chowdhury (Pro-Vice Chancellor, BRAC University) highlighted that exclusion stems from structural failures and identity-based injustice, arguing that economic inclusion is central to social justice and sustainable development. He stressed that inclusive policies are economically sound and must be evidence-based, context-specific, and grounded in empathy and equity.

Dr Imran Matin (Executive Director, BIGD) called for reconnecting disability rights with broader social justice movements and shifting toward a rights- and capability-based framework. He underscored the need for disaggregated data, rigorous analysis, and collective action to address weak enforcement and accountability.

Closing the event, Mehnaz Rabbani (Director, Operations, Strategy, and Partnership, BIGD) urged unified and coordinated action, noting that evidence already shows what works. She emphasized that progress now depends on sustained collective commitment.