Mr. Abdus Sattar Dulal is one of the pioneers of the disability movement in Bangladesh and internationally. In 1985, he founded Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity (BPKS), an organization promoting the importance of Disabled People’s Organization (DPOs) as the safeguard for the human rights, participation in the mainstream and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Mr. Dulal pioneered the concept of “Persons with Disabilities Self-initiative to Development” (PSID), an innovative process of raising the confidence of persons with disabilities and providing them with startup support. Under his leadership, the PSID approach helped ensure the sustainability of 29 DPOs in Bangladesh. He has also served as the World Counselor at Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) and he is currently President of NADPO (National Alliance of Disabled People’s Organizations) in Bangladesh.
Mr. Dulal is an active member of Bangladesh’s national coordinating committees on Disability, Ageing, Family, and the Disability Action Plan Implementation Steering Committee in Bangladesh. He contributed to the national Disability Policy, Action Plan and the Disability Protection and Rights Act of Bangladesh. Internationally, Mr. Dulal contributed to the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He has also supported research for international organizations, such as ADB, WHO, AUSAID, ILO and the World Bank.