BBDN, FICCI ink MoU on disability inclusion in MNCs

Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on 30 September, said a press release.

The agreement outlines some mutually benefiting activities focused on disability inclusion amongst multinational companies (MNCs), which comprises of FICCI, FICCI members, BBDN and other mutually agreed relevant stakeholders.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury, President, FICCI and Managing Director, Berger and Murteza Rafi Khan, CEO, BBDN signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.

The core purpose of this collaboration is to increase the number of FICCI members who are actively becoming disability inclusive organizations by building their institutional disability confidence.

To this end, FICCI, the national apex body of the foreign investors, can play a key role to expedite policy influencing with its members, the broader business community and the government, while facilitating a window of opportunity in employment creation and setting standards in provisioning an appropriate work environment for people with disabilities.

Skills building activities for persons with disabilities and recruiting skilled candidates with disabilities through apprenticeships, internships and jobs is also within the scope of the collaboration.

Salahuddin Kasem Khan, Chairman, BBDN welcomed the positive consideration of FICCI to collaborate and emphasized the importance of all its multinational members to actively work on disability inclusion, which is aligned with the SDG goal of inclusive growth by “leaving no one behind”.

Rupali Chowdhury reiterated the commitment of FICCI to collaborate effectively with BBDN by undertaking practical action, in an effort to change the existing scenario of disability inclusion in the labour market, in alignment with the diversity and inclusion mandates of their members and meeting the skills and employment needs of people with disabilities in Bangladesh.

MHM Fairoz, Vice President, FICCI and Managing Director, Singer, Naser Ezaz, Board Member, FICCI and CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Nurul Kabir, Executive Director, FICCI, Aziza Ahmed, Head of Operations, BBDN and Rusafa Khan, Executive (Communication and PR), FICCI were also present at the signing ceremony.