(Bangladesh) Dhaka: Plans for modern special school; 60% of disabled kids out of school

Nov 29, 2025, Daily Observer: Govt to build modern special needs school in Dhaka

https://www.observerbd.com/news/556058

The government is set to establish a modern, fully equipped school for children with special needs in the capital, aiming to address the acute shortage of quality education and therapy services for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and other disabilities.

The new institution, Asha’r Alo School Dhaka (For Children with Special Needs), will be built under a project taken by the Ministry of Social Welfare. The Department of Social Services (DSS) will implement the project with technical support from the Bangladesh Navy, reports UNB.

According to the Development Project Proposal (DPP), Tk 49.56 crore project will run from July 2025 to December 2027. Of the total cost, Tk 29.73 crore will come from the government exchequer, while Tk 19.82 crore will be provided from the Navy’s own funds. The revised DPP has already been submitted to the Planning Commission for approval.

Huge demand, limited access

Data from Census 2022 and the Social Welfare Ministry show that Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has 43,846 children with special needs. Yet the area has only 10 specialised schools — leaving nearly 95 percent of these children without proper educational or therapeutic services.Against this backdrop, the proposed school in Joar Sahara, Khilkhet, is expected to significantly improve access for families in a region where demand far exceeds available support.

The project includes construction of a six-storey foundation with a four-storey functional academic building. The school will accommodate 300 students, with 30 percent receiving free education. It will also provide residential care for five abandoned or orphaned children with special needs. . . .

The initiative supports the government’s commitments under the Persons with Disabilities’ Rights and Protection Act 2013 and aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It is also in line with the Perspective Plan 2021–2041, which emphasises building an inclusive society.

Proven model behind the expansionThe Asha’r Alo special education model was first launched in 2003 in Chattogram under the patronage of the Bangladesh Navy, gaining recognition for its quality education, healthcare and vocational training for children with NDDs. A second branch opened in Khulna’s Khalishpur in 2016. Together, they currently serve nearly 400 children. . . .

High exclusion rate persists nationwide

More than half of children with disabilities in Bangladesh remain outside the formal education system, according to the National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (NSPD) 2021 conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics with UNICEF support.

The survey reveals that among children aged 5–17 with disabilities, only 65 percent attend primary school and just 35 percent are enrolled in secondary school. Overall, 60 percent receive no education at all. Those who do attend are, on average, more than two years behind their peers academically. . . .