Rights activists demand easy access to books for differently-abled people

Rights activists stressed publishing books which can easily be accessible to people with visual and print impairments at an orientation meeting on "Marrakesh Treaty Accession and Way Forward with journalists, publishers and writers" held in the capital today.

They also sought the support of journalists, writers and publishers for the proper implementation of the treaty, according to a press release.

Visually Impaired People's Society (VIPS) in collaboration with Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) organised the event at the Liberation War Museum.

Every year, lakhs of books are published in the world and of them, only 1-7% of books are suitable for reading for 285 million people with visual and print impairment with limited income.

By ratifying the treaty on 26 September 2022, Bangladesh became the 116th nation in the world to sign the agreement to improve the access to books and reading for the country's people with disabilities.

Jahangir Alam, general secretary of VIPS, moderated the event.

Prominent educationist Muhammad Jafar Iqbal attended the event as chief guest while Daud Miah, registrar of Bangladesh Copyright Office (BCO), was the special guest.

Nazrana Yeasmin Hira, programme coordinator of MJF, Musherraf Hossain Mazumder, adviser of VIPS, Bhaskar Bhattacharya, national consultant for the access to at a2i programme, ICT Division, and Jafor Raja Chowdhury, former registrar of Bangladesh Copyright division, also spoke at the event.

Stressing the importance of the treaty, Jafar Iqbal called on all concerned to come forward in this regard.

Jahangir Alam said that the treaty mentioned such a copyright system which would pave the way for making printed books into an accessible system for visual and print-impaired people.

"As per the treaty, it is necessary to bring change in Bangladesh's copyright law so that our copyright does not create any problem regarding making suitable books accessible to visually impaired people," he added.

Musherraf Hossain Mazumder, who is visually impaired, said that it is possible to solve the problems regarding visually impaired people's reading if the government takes necessary steps by making the copyright law effective in line with the treaty.

Nazrana Yeasmin Hira, programme coordinator of MJF, underscored raising awareness on the Marrakesh Treaty. She said that MJF worked with VIPS in the past and will also support it in all its activities in the days to come.

All speakers said that the treaty's implementation would ensure the equal participation of all, including disabled people, and also help Bangladesh to achieve Sustainable Development Goal-4 by 2030, the release said.