BRAC Bank, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN), hosted ‘Empower Ability 2025: Powering Every Ability’ to accelerate Bangladesh’s transition towards disability-inclusive growth.

The conference, held under BRAC Bank’s flagship CSR initiative ‘Aporajeyo Ami’, took place at a city hotel on Tuesday.

It convened policymakers, corporate leaders, and development partners to turn dialogue into action through policy partnerships, corporate commitments, and inclusive employment practices.

Supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the event highlighted the strength of cross-sector collaboration in creating equitable opportunities for all.

More than 50 organisations participated in the event, where BBDN signed Memoranda of Understanding with apparel sector trade bodies—BGMEA and BKMEA.

These agreements aimed to embed disability inclusion within the ready-made garment sector—the nation’s largest employer—by promoting accessible workplaces, inclusive recruitment, and industry-wide awareness.

Three panels explored the next frontier of disability inclusion: embedding accessibility into corporate culture, developing inclusive employment pathways, and aligning private sector efforts with government policies.

Leaders from Berger Paints, Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts, the Department of Social Services, the Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation, and development partners shared actionable strategies to strengthen institutional frameworks.

Jürgen Menze, Disability Inclusion Specialist of ILO’s Global Business and Disability Network, presented his keynote.

Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, Managing Director and CEO of BRAC Bank, said that inclusion is one of BRAC Bank’s prime pillars and is not limited to financial inclusion only, but also encompasses a wider area including gender inclusion, disability inclusion, and broader social inclusion.

He said that inclusion is not charity; it is the foundation of a sustainable economy.

Through Aporajeyo Ami, BRAC Bank is building bridges between business and social good, proving that empowering every ability empowers the nation itself, he noted.

Highlighting collective responsibility, Ardashir Kabir, Chairman of the BBDN Board of Trustees, said that the private sector must move from intent to implementation and that BBDN would continue working hand in hand with industry leaders to make disability inclusion integral to business strategy in Bangladesh.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Labour Secretary Md Sanwar Jahan Bhuiyan said that the government is committed to promoting disability inclusion across all sectors through policy support, institutional collaboration, and enforcement, and emphasised that such partnerships are critical to achieving a society where no one is left behind.

Labour Adviser M Sakhawat Hussain said that inclusion is a matter of justice and that by eliminating structural and social barriers, accessibility can be ensured.

He added that to achieve true inclusion, every citizen must be empowered to contribute fully and that, together, the nation can be built to recognise and value every individual’s ability.

The conference concluded with a unified call to action: strengthen cross-sector collaboration, institutionalise inclusive employment, and drive policy advocacy to ensure equitable participation for persons with disabilities.