In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

STEPHEN P. DHALEE he purpose of this paper is to reveal the poor conditions suffered by the deaf people in my country, Bangladesh. In most countries, deaf people are deprived of their political rights and consigned to a subhuman existence. This is especially true for the deaf people of Bangladesh, where deaf people are uneducated, unemployed, and isolated from the rest of society. Most deaf people in Bangladesh live in poverty, and even those few who are financially secure suffer a great many problems. Before we examine the plight of deaf people in Bangladesh, however, let us consider the general issue of rights. In my opinion, the term "rights" refers to those things essential to living a normal and healthy life. There are social, political, cultural and economic rights; the United Nations has defined a set of fundamental human rights. The rights of deaf people are nothing more than the same rights that apply to all other people. The problem for deaf people is that, like other classes of handicapped people, they require special arrangements in order to enjoy these rights. In the developing countries, deaf people are often uneducated, unskilled, and deprived of almost all their social, economic, cultural and political rights. In these countries , it is not generally accepted that deaf people constitute a separate social and cultural group, and the trend in many countries is to try to assimilate deaf people with the hearing majority. While hearing people readily admit the special needs of those with other disabilities-for instance, the necessity of wheelchairs for those with physical disabilities and of braille for blind people-they hesitate to recognize the necessity of sign language for deaf people. This situation is not unique to the developing world; even in advanced countries like the United States and Great Britain, where they receive education and training, deaf people often do not get the opportunities they deserve. As a result of the lack of deaf leaders, deaf people are dependent upon the sympathy of the hearing majority. The United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons has provided us with an occasion to make the general public aware of the needs of handicapped people and also with an opportunity for handicapped people themselves to unite to secure their rights. But who do we see on the stage? It is hearing people who organize the meetings and conferences and prepare the proposals for projects to rehabilitate deaf people. Their endeavors are praiseworthy-and we need their help and cooperationbut hearing people tend to be egocentric in their approach to the problems of deaf people. If one is to help a person, one must know that person well. One must live closely with him to learn about his abilities and disabilities and to find ways of developing his Discrimination Against Deaf People in Bangladesh latent talents. One must not force one's own ideas upon that person, but rather must try to provide the necessary environment for his development. In the efforts of hearing people to help deaf people, however, we see the opposite approach. Many of us know what it means to be a member of a minority group, to see one's language and culture neglected, to be compelled to accept the language, culture, and arts of the majority group. Though considered outsiders in their own lands and deprived of many social and political rights, minority group members nevertheless may struggle to secure those rights. In Bangladesh, the struggle is made especially difficult by those who advocate the use of oral methods to teach deaf children. Oralists favor integrating deaf people with the hearing, where deaf people feel lost. The oralists are working hard to sway public opinion in favor of their own ideas and to prevent deaf people from organizing to oppose them. There is already support for oralism in Bangladesh, where deafness is mistakenly thought of as a minor, curable defect. In a society where almost all deaf people are uneducated or undereducated and thus incapable of deciding what is best for them, the activities of such people are very dangerous. Unemployment is a serious problem for deaf people of Bangladesh. There are no laws or high-powered committees to protect deaf people's right to employment. As a result, there are many deaf young men who have some sort of manual training but still must wait many years for employment. The salary paid to deaf people is so low that even those who find a job are forced to depend...

Share