NCP expresses solidarity with job-seeking graduates with disabilities

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has expressed solidarity with the five-point demand of job-seeking graduates with disabilities and urged the government to accept their teachers' demands.

The NCP representatives visited the demonstrators today (3 November) in front of the National Museum, where the graduates have been staging a sit-in demanding inclusion in the civil service.

Speaking at the gathering, NCP Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin said the interim government has shown indifference towards educated persons with disabilities who remain unemployed despite vacancies in government offices.

"Even the social welfare adviser does not know how far they have studied – this is a state failure," she said. "Their legitimate demands must be fulfilled immediately; there is no scope for delay."

The convener of Protibondhi Parishad, who has been leading the demonstration, said they would not leave the streets until their demands are met.

"If our demands remain ignored, we are ready to die here. Tomorrow, we will march towards the Jamuna at noon wearing burial shrouds," he said.

Earlier, on 19 October, police stopped the protesters as they marched towards the adviser's office. Since then, they have continued their sit-in protest in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University.

Their five-point demand includes introducing a separate 2% quota in first and second-class government jobs and a 5% quota in third and fourth-class jobs, issuing special recruitment orders through an executive directive, amending the existing national scribe policy, ensuring special recruitment of visually impaired candidates for vacant posts at PHT centres, and raising the maximum age limit for government jobs to 35 years.

NCP Joint Chief Coordinator Navid Nowroz Shah was also present.