DOT Desk : Visually impaired Bangladeshi national, Vashkar Bhattacharjee, has been awarded the Unesco/Emir Jaber al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, reports The Daily Star. The award, carrying a monetary prize of $20,000, has been given to him in recognition of his contribution to the empowerment of persons with disabilities through the application of ICT to access information and knowledge, according to a press release by the Embassy of Bangladesh in France.
Sheikh Mubarak Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the representative of the Kuwaiti Government handed over the Prize to him at a ceremony organised in observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at Unesco Headquarters on December 3, the press release added.
In his speech, Vashkar thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina noting that the PM had given the people a dream of Digital Bangladesh and the people are now transforming it into reality and making inclusive and barrier free ICT environment for the people with disability.
Saima Wazed Hossain, Chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Autism and a Member of WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health and also a jury board member, attended the award ceremony. Bhattacharjee is credited for successfully developing Bangladesh’s first Accessible Dictionary in four forms, dedicated to persons with visual, print and learning disabilities.
He is currently working for “Young Power in Social Action, a registered NGO based in Chattaogram. He has also served as National Consultant for Accessibility to Information (a2i) Program of the Government of Bangladesh.
In 2016 Vashkar Bhattacharjee received a national award from the Bangladesh Prime Minister for his contribution for people with disability using digital technology.
This is the first time ever that Bangladeshi has received this award which was created in 2002 and supported by the State of Kuwait.
The prize is given in both individual and organisational categories every two years in recognition of contribution for the promotion of quality education and raise awareness about the right to education of persons with disabilities.
Tencent, a private sector enterprise from China was the recipient of the Prize in organisational category.
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