The government has rejected a proposal to give preference to persons with disabilities in availing credits under the draft Disabled Persons’ Rights Act 2012, officials said.

The Banking Division has rejected the proposal of the Social Welfare Ministry to incorporate a provision in the draft act for providing bank loans and commercial facilities to persons with disabilities.

The proposal was sent to the banking division last week for its consent, but the division said that it would not include any such provision in the draft act. The letter was signed by social welfare secretary M M Sultan Mahmud.

The Banking Division said the disabled persons will get preference for banking services but not in obtaining any discriminatory behaviour for getting credits, according to the reply sent to Social Welfare Ministry Sunday.

The draft of Disabled Persons Right Act will write that persons with disabilities will not get discriminatory behaviour for getting credit from the commercial banks instead they would be provided advantageous position in getting credits from banks, the reply letter also read.

Banking Division official also said the commercial banks would be put at risks if they disburse credits to persons with disabilities.

For this, giving loans to disabled persons under new act is not good for the country’s banking sector, he added.

The draft was placed to the cabinet for approval last July but it was sent back for further revision, cabinet sources said.

Earlier, the government enacted Disabled Person Welfare Law in 2001 which has failed to bring any progress for the development of persons with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in recent inaugural programmes of the 5th World Autism Awareness Day- 2012 at Osmani Memorial auditorium asked the corporate sector and private organisations to provide jobs for autistic and physically-challenged people to utilise their merits in nation-building activities.

Albert Mollah, Executive Director of Access Bangladesh Foundation told daily sun that it will really hamper progress of disabled persons if the provision of giving preference to disabled persons in getting credits from commercials banks is dropped from the act.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/02-Nov-12