The People’s Voice 16: Supporting a Mother and Her Disabled Daughter in Banchanagar Village

Location: Banchanagar Village,  Laxmipur, Bangladesh

Date of Interview: July 13, 2025

Conducted by: ALO (Animation Liberate for Organize)

Report: Kazi Altaf Mahmoood

Link: https://youtu.be/W8EMLnRYujc?si=oID2K6H-0ngSqQ0g

Executive Summary

This report presents the findings of a needs-based survey conducted by Animation Liberate For Organize (ALO) on 14th July 2025 in Banchanagar Village, Laxmipur Sadar, Bangladesh. The survey engaged one family, focusing on a mother and her disabled daughter, to identify critical needs at the individual level and contextualize them within regional and national challenges. Key findings reveal inadequate access to healthcare for the daughter’s disability, financial constraints preventing treatment, and lack of proper housing. This report details family-level needs, regional and national historical context, a Logical Framework for interventions, and resource requirements to address these issues.

1. Individual Needs (Based on the Family)

The survey focused on understanding the specific challenges faced by a mother and her disabled daughter in Banchanagar Village, capturing their daily struggles and priorities.

1.1 Key Findings at the Family Level

• Need 1: Access to Healthcare for Disability
  The mother reported an inability to afford treatment for her daughter’s disability, highlighting a critical gap in access to healthcare services. The daughter’s condition 
• remains untreated due to financial barriers, impacting her quality of life and the family’s well-being.
• Need 2: Adequate Housing
  The family resides in a makeshift shack on government land, lacking proper shelter. This exposes them to environmental risks and undermines their safety and dignity.
• Need 3: Financial Support
  The mother faces significant financial constraints, with no stable income to cover basic needs or medical expenses, exacerbating the family’s vulnerability.
• Common Themes
  Financial constraints, lack of access to disability-specific healthcare, and inadequate infrastructure (housing) were central themes. The family’s reliance on external support, such as ALO’s grocery donation, underscores their precarious situation.

1.2 Methodology for Family-Level Data

• Data Collection: Semi-structured interview conducted with the mother, as documented in ALO’s “The People’s Voice” Series.
• Sampling: One family in Banchanagar Village, Laxmipur Sadar, selected due to their representation of marginalized groups with disabilities.
• Analysis: Qualitative thematic analysis of interview responses to identify key needs and priorities.

2. Regional and National History of the Issue and Need

This section contextualizes the family’s needs within the broader regional and national landscape, focusing on disability, healthcare, and government funding in Bangladesh.

2.1 Regional Context

• Historical Background: In rural areas like Laxmipur Sadar, access to disability-specific healthcare has historically been limited. The 2021 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities highlighted that persons with disabilities in Bangladesh face significant barriers to healthcare, with only 20% of disabled individuals accessing services within a three-month period due to financial and logistical constraints.
• Current Challenges: Local communities, including villages like Banchanagar, lack specialized healthcare facilities for disabilities. Families often rely on distant urban centers, incurring high transportation and treatment costs. Stigma and negative societal attitudes further isolate disabled individuals, limiting their access to services.
• Contributing Factors: Limited government funding for rural healthcare infrastructure and a lack of trained personnel exacerbate access issues. The absence of disability-specific programs in local health centers compounds these challenges.

2.2 National Context

• Historical Trends: Since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, the health sector has made progress in reducing maternal and child mortality and infectious diseases, achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 for under-five mortality. However, disability-specific healthcare has remained underfunded. The health sector’s allocation in the national budget has hovered around 5% of GDP, significantly below the WHO-recommended $88 per capita for basic healthcare services.
• Policy and Systemic Issues: The Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act (RRPD) 2013 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) provide a legal framework for disability rights, but implementation is weak. The government reserves a 10% quota for persons with disabilities in public sector jobs, yet compliance is low, and social protection programs have limited coverage.
• Statistical Overview: Approximately 10% of Bangladesh’s population (16 million people) live with disabilities, according to WHO estimates. Only 5% of the national budget is allocated to health, with a smaller fraction dedicated to disability services. Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure accounts for two-thirds of total health spending, placing a heavy burden on families like the one surveyed.

2.3 Alignment of Needs

The family’s needs align with national trends of inadequate healthcare access, insufficient disability support, and systemic financial barriers. The lack of local healthcare infrastructure and social protection programs mirrors regional and national gaps, necessitating targeted interventions.

3. Methodology

The survey employed a mixed-methods approach to capture both family-level and contextual data:

• Quantitative Methods: Secondary data analysis from sources like the 2021 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities and WHO reports to quantify disability and healthcare access issues.
• Qualitative Methods: Semi-structured interview with one family in Banchanagar Village to capture lived experiences and specific needs.
• Sampling: Purposive sampling of one family to represent marginalized groups with disabilities in rural settings.
• Data Analysis: Thematic analysis for qualitative data, supported by statistical analysis of secondary quantitative data to contextualize findings.

4. Needs Assessment Findings

4.1 Key Needs

• Family Level: Dependence on external aid for basic needs, inability to afford disability-specific healthcare, and lack of proper housing.
• Regional/National: Insufficient government funding for disability services, limited rural healthcare infrastructure, and systemic barriers to implementing the RRPD Act 2013.

4.2 Existing Resources and Gaps

• Resources: A locally donated deep tube well provides clean drinking water, and ALO’s grocery support offers temporary relief.
• Gaps: Lack of access to disability-specific healthcare, no stable housing, and absence of government social protection programs for the family.

5. Logical Framework for Interventions

6. Resource Requirements

To implement the proposed interventions, ALO requires:

• Funding: $1,000 for medical consultations, treatment subsidies, and vocational training; $3,000 for housing construction.
• Partnerships: Collaboration with local health clinics for subsidized treatment, local government for land allocation, and NGOs like the National Grassroots Disability Organization (NGDO) for advocacy and resource sharing.
• Community Involvement: Engage local volunteers to support construction and training programs, ensuring community buy-in and sustainability.

7. Conclusion

The needs-based survey highlights critical challenges faced by a mother and her disabled daughter in Banchanagar Village, rooted in systemic regional and national issues such as underfunded healthcare, weak disability policy implementation, and financial barriers. ALO is committed to addressing these needs through evidence-based interventions, leveraging partnerships and community involvement to drive sustainable change.

8. Appendices

Appendix A: Survey Questionnaire

• How are you managing your daughter’s health condition?
• Have you been able to access treatment for her disability? If not, what are the barriers?
• Do you have access to adequate housing? Describe your current living situation.
• Do you have access to clean drinking water?
• What additional support would help improve your family’s situation?

Appendix B: Detailed Data Analysis

• Qualitative Analysis: Thematic coding of interview responses identified healthcare access, housing, and financial constraints as primary needs.

• Quantitative Analysis: Secondary data from the 2021 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities shows 80% of disabled individuals face barriers to healthcare access, with 60% citing financial constraints.

Appendix C: Historical Data Sources

• 2021 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities: Provides data on healthcare access barriers for disabled individuals in Bangladesh. Available via Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (http://www.bbs.gov.bd).
• WHO Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (2022): Outlines global and national disability healthcare challenges. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240063600.
• Prothom Alo Budget Analysis (2024): Details health sector funding trends in Bangladesh. Available at https://en.prothomalo.com.
• Disability Rights Landscape in Bangladesh (2025): Discusses policy implementation gaps. Available at http://socialprotection.gov.bd.
• UNCRPD and RRPD Act 2013: Legal frameworks for disability rights. Available at https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html and http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd.