Mr. Abdus Sattar Dulal
BPKS Founder & CEO
Mr. Abdus Sattar Dulal was born in a respected leadership family 1960 in Bangladesh. At the age of fifteen, he survived a life-threatening fall from a tree—an accident that, by the grace of Allah, spared his life but left him in a coma for 42 days and required seven long years of recovery. Since then, he has lived with a physical disability and uses a wheelchair for mobility. Throughout his ordeal, his mother, Ms Noor Nahar, prayed tirelessly for her son, often saying, “May Allah make a way for my helpless child.” Today, her prayers are reflected in Dulal’s remarkable journey. Mr. Dulal has risen to become a respected global leader and a powerful voice among the world’s representing 1.3 billion People with Disabilities (PwDs). He is married to a woman who also lives with a severe disability, and together they are proud parents of two sons.
Mr. Dulal is a rights and holistic development promoter of persons with disabilities in the world. From a very young age, he has maintained leadership positions and has 47 years of dedicated experience in advancing acceptable development and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs). He has been instrumental in shaping non-discriminatory systems, policies, and practices at both national and international levels. Recognized globally as an expert, activist, leader, mentor, trainer and advocate, he works tirelessly to uphold the rights and development of all. His lifelong commitment continues to drive meaningful change—fostering human rights and development that are acceptable, enjoyable, and sustainable for all. Dulal has received many congratulations and recognitions for his achievements, including many national and international awards including the UN Disability Rights Champion awards.
Mr. Dulal has played an instrumental role as expert in shaping major national, regional, and global initiatives for more than four decades. Across the four consecutive decades of UNESCAP’s including the disability-inclusive development agenda (1993–2032), he has contributed to creation of key frameworks, mandates for action, and strategic guidance. His involvement extends to significant global instruments and initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the Asian Development Bank’s Poverty and Social Development Papers, the World Report on Disability of WHO, Australia’s Development for All policy and many others.
In Bangladesh, Mr. Dulal’s engagement has been equally transformative. He has played a pivotal role in shaping national policies and programs through his membership in nearly 50 government committees addressing a wide range of issues including PwDs. Since 1986, he has led more than 565 high-level advocacy meetings, engaging with the country’s most influential leaders — including every President since 1988, all Prime Ministers, key Ministers, leaders of major political parties, the Chief Justice, the Chief Election Commissioner, the Human Rights Commission, the Law Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Central Bank, and many other key national and international stakeholders including diplomates. He has been interviewed hundreds of times by various media, and his articles have been published. As a result, Bangladesh has achieved significant milestones, including the establishment of the Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation (JPUF); the country’s first National Policy on Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in 1995; the 1996 Action Plan; the Acts of 2001 and 2013; and numerous mainstream national policies such as the Bangladesh National Skills Development Policy 2011; and plans that incorporate and safeguard the rights and interests of PwDs.
Mr. Dulal over the years has served as a management, speaker, presenter, and leader at hundreds of national and international events organized by a wide range of nations, stakeholders — including BPKS, Organizations of PwDs (OPDs), UN, DPI, WHO, ADB, CBM, ILO, HI, the World Bank, Universities, Governments, the EU, AUSAID, and USAID, many others. His global engagement spans 71 countries, reflecting his far-reaching influence and commitment to advancing PwDs rights and development for all, worldwide. Dulal has had the distinct honour of sharing the stage with esteemed global leaders of several nations to deliver his speech, including the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the Speaker of Bangladesh, and the President of Panama and Australian Parliament—a testament to growing his international recognition, credibility, and acceptance. Mr. Dulal pioneered an innovative, PwDs-led approach to rights and holistic development—the Persons with Disabilities Self-Initiative to Development (PSID) model—which has been widely disseminated and embraced by stakeholders across the sector. This ground-breaking approach has been replicated across 33 districts in Bangladesh, empowering millions of persons with disabilities through his initiatives and leadership and formed and strengthened Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). Under his guidance, BPKS successfully managed approximately 25 foreign-funded projects with a total value of about USD 15 million, and today, the organization maintains assets worth around USD 13 million — a testament to his visionary leadership and institution-building excellence.
Mr. Dulal has initiated the establishment of 30 civil society organizations, including Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity (BPKS), Bangladesh’s leading national organizations of persons with disabilities, National Networks- the National Alliance of Disabled People’s Organizations (NADPO) and the Women with Disabilities Development Foundation (WDDF). He serves — voluntarily — in several key leadership roles, including Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BPKS, President of NADPO, Global Advisor on Rights and Sustainable Development of PwDs, Bangladesh Representatives of Billion Strong Organization, Member of Global Advisory Council of the Disability Power Index, USA, Board Director of Workability Asia/International, world President of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI), and Mr. Dulal is member of the Steering Committee on Protection of Rights and Services for Persons with Disabilities, chaired by Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Dulal is also Chairman of BPKS Consumer Ltd. In addition, he provides advisory support to numerous organizations both within Bangladesh and internationally, further extending his influence and commitment to advancing the rights of PwDs and acceptable development worldwide.
In addition, Mr. Dulal has also excelled in sports and competitive activities. In 1983, he won first prize among national wheelchair runners in Bangladesh. He earned first place at both local and national in chess tournaments and securing third place at an international competition in Australia 1995.
Email: championdulal@gmail.com,
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/abdussattar.dulal
linkedin URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdus-sattar-dulal-un-disability-rights-champion-and-bpks-ceo-1b909919b/