Dhaka, Broadcasting News Corporation: Adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs, Sharmin S. Murshid, said, ‘Sign language is not charity. The state’s responsibility toward citizens who are speech and hearing impaired is not a charity—it is their right.’

Speaking as the chief guest at the discussion and cultural program organized at the National Disabled Development Foundation in Dhaka on Saturday (February 7, 2026) on the occasion of Bangla Sign Language Day-2026, the adviser made these remarks.

The Social Welfare Adviser said that sign language is not just a means of communication; it is the linguistic identity, self-respect, and basis of citizenship rights for people with speech and hearing impairments. In a welfare state system, it is the responsibility of the state to ensure equal access to education, health, information, and justice for all citizens.
The advisor further stated that by expanding the use of sign language in educational institutions, government offices, and the media, it is possible to integrate speech- and hearing-impaired individuals into the mainstream of society. There are positive examples of the use of sign language in government media.

At the event, Md. Tariqul Alam (Additional Secretary), Managing Director of the National Disabled Development Foundation, presided. Special remarks were made by Kamal Uddin Sarkar, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare. At the end of the program, certificates and awards were distributed among talented speech- and hearing-impaired students.