Banking Barriers: Inclusive Training to Empower Financial Sector Professionals Including Persons with Disabilities

In a significant move toward creating an inclusive banking environment, nearly fifty bankers were seen seated in wheelchairs inside a room at Lakeshore Heights in Dhaka’s Gulshan. The scene was part of a unique training program titled "Breaking Attitudinal Barriers: Inclusive Banking for Persons with Disabilities," which emphasized institutional change over symbolic gestures to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the banking sector.

The training program, held from May 23 to 25, was jointly organized by Monash University Australia, Team Inclusion Bangladesh, and Prime Bank PLC. It aimed to instill a rights-based approach among banking professionals, focusing on empathy, inclusive mindsets, and accessibility-enhancing technologies.

During the program, participants engaged in interactive sessions, decision-making simulations, and group work tailored to real-life scenarios. These exercises helped them gain a deeper understanding of how to provide more effective banking services to people with disabilities. By the end of the training, participants expressed their commitment to delivering more inclusive services in the future.

M. Nazim A. Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of Prime Bank PLC, remarked, “This training will help our employees develop a more inclusive mindset in their daily operations. This initiative reflects Prime Bank’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in every service. We are working on products and services tailored to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. This initiative will be seen as a vital step toward equal opportunities, universal financial access, and a shift in perception within the banking sector.”