Dhaka: Though the government has abolished the quota system in first class public service, it is preparing a policy for the persons with disabilities, ethnic groups and underprivileged ones so that they can easily get government jobs, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.

‘There was a movement against the quota system, and again there was a series of movements a few days later. That’s why we had to abolish the system, this is true. But, now we’re preparing a policy wherein there’ll be a priority for the persons with disabilities, ethnic groups and underprivileged groups,’ she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a function marking the ‘27th International and 20th National Day of persons with Disabilities’ at Bangladesh International Conference Centre (BICC).

The theme for this year’s IDPD is ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’.

Sheikh Hasina said no people of the country will be neglected. ‘All have to realise that every person of the country is our kith and kin,’ she said.

The Prime Minister asked all to create the mentality to adopt the persons with disabilities as their closest ones.

She urged the affluent section of society to come forward to ensure the welfare of the persons with disabilities. The government is determined to ensure all the basic rights for the persons with disabilities as human being, Hasina added.

‘We can utilise the potentials they have...we have to build them in such a way so that we could utilise their merits and skills for the development of the country,’ she said.

Hasina urged all not to neglect them, rather give them support so that people with disabilities could prove their worth and excellence in society. ‘We’ve to give them the opportunity to demonstrate their dormant talents,’ she said.

She said The Rights and Protection of Disabled People Act 2013 and The Protection of Neuron Developmental Disabled Trust Act 2013 were enacted to ensure the welfare of the disabled people and the government is implementing those.

Presided over by Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon, the programme was addressed, among others, by Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, President of National Disability Foundation M Saidul Huq and Social Welfare Secretary Md Zillar Rahman.

The Prime Minister also distributed crests and certificates among the individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to society.

Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural programmes presented by children suffering from disabilities.