DPI elects Abdus Sattar Dulal as World President
By Disabled Peoples' International
Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) is pleased to announce the election of Mr Abdus Sattar Dulal as its World President.
Mr Dulal, a long-standing persons-with-disabilities rights advocate from Bangladesh, brings over four decades of experience in promoting the rights, development and participation of persons with disabilities worldwide. He maintains deep respect for the legacy of DPI’s founders and past leaders, who established DPI as a global voice for persons with disabilities since 1980. He has emphasised building upon that foundation — to expand opportunities, promote collaboration and cooperation, strengthen organisational capacity, and revitalise DPI’s representation and leadership role worldwide.
Mr Dulal became a person with a disability at the age of 15 following an accident. Since 1982 he has devoted his life to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities and strengthening organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). Under his leadership, the DPI National Assembly in Bangladesh — Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity (BPKS) — supports millions of persons with disabilities, and his initiatives established 30 organisations of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh. He has contributed to national and international policies, documents and organisational capacity building.
Mr Dulal has represented and shared expertise in 71 countries, contributing to disability-inclusive policy and development programmes with a range of multi-stakeholder partners including the UN, EU, AusAID, WHO, ILO and the World Bank, among others. Recognised as a UN Disability Rights Champion, he remains deeply committed to DPI’s motto, “A Voice of Our Own.”
As World President, Mr Dulal aims to restore DPI’s full strength, unity and influence, ensuring its continuation as a global safeguard for the rights and development of the 1.3 billion persons with disabilities worldwide.
DPI congratulates Mr Abdus Sattar Dulal and looks forward to a future of renewed collaboration, growth and global impact under his leadership.
