Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, and Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to people of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh reported 3300 registered cases in 2012 and thus it is one of the 18 high prevalent countries of Leprosy in the world, even though Leprosy was officially eradicated in 1998.
Bangladesh ratified the CRPD on November 30, 2007 and its Country Report was due on September 01, 2010, which has not been submitted by the Government of Bangladesh yet. On November 24, 2011 the Bangladesh Government repealed the 1898 'Lepers Act' that segregated people with leprosy from society. This act allowed varied discriminations against people with leprosy, especially those without a legitimate income who could be arrested on sight. The law's reversal was achieved through advocacy by few organizations working for Leprosy in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh also recently passed new laws on disability namely, ‘Rights and Protection for Persons with Disabilities 2013’ and Neuro Developmental Disability Protection Trust Act 2013’. Unfortunately Leprosy found no place in these acts.
Some of the organizations working in the field of Leprosy are The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh (TLM), LEPRA Bangladesh, Damien Foundation, Christian Leprosy Centre Chandroghona, HEED Bangladesh, Dhanjuri Leprosy Center- Dinajpur, PIME Sisters-Khulna, The Salvation Army and RDRS Bangladesh. Government of Bangladesh also has a dedicated unit called ‘National Leprosy Elimination Programme’ (NLEP) aiming to completely wipe out Leprosy from Bangladesh and to rehabilitate the cured.
The Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh
Rev Matthew Samar Halder
Address: Dhaka Coordinating Office
House 17A, Road 3,
Banani, Old DOHS,
Dhaka
Phone: +80-2-8826395, +880-2-8815353
Email: dco@tlmbangladesh.org
matthewh@tlmbangladesh.org
Website: www.tlmbangladesh.org
Damien Foundation
Dr. Aung Kya Jai Maug
Country Director
Address: House No. 24,
Road No. 18, Block A ,
Banani Model Town,
Dhaka-1213, P.O Box: 6038
Phone: 88-02-8822189
Fax: 88-02-8810903, 88-02-8823516
Email: aung@damienfoundation-bd.com
info@damienfoundation-bd.com
Website: www.damienfoundation-bd.com
LEPRA Bangladesh
Dr. Aprue Mong
Country Director
Address: House No. 80,
Road No. 07, black H,
Banani R/A, Dhaka-1213
Email: adin.lepra@healthinaction-bd.org
aprue.lepra@healthinaction-bd.org
Website: www. lepra.org.uk/Bangladesh
Christian Leprosy Centre/ Christian Hospital Chandroghona
Address: P.O Chandraghona,
Rangamati Hill District,
Bangladesh,
Email: christianhospitalchandraghona@gmail.com
director@christianhospitalchandraghona.com
Website: www.christianhospitalchandraghona.com
