Bangladesh is moving ahead in the field of information technology. Like the development in other sectors of the society, various initiatives of the government have been taken for the visually impaired through the ICT division of the government. This year, World White cane Security Day has been celebrated in Bangladesh as well as all over the world with the theme of ‘Digital White Cane, walk the path safely’. 25 million people in the world do not see it completely or partially. A part of the country’s population suffers from visual impairment. On the occasion of World White Cane Security Day, a documentary ‘It’s time for Digital White Cane’ is being aired on Bangladesh Television (BTV) and BTV World with various initiatives of the government and various opportunities for the visually impaired.
The documentary documents the social rights of the visually impaired and the changes that have taken place in their lives through information technology. Mahbuba Ferdous, the producer of the documentary, said, “Through this documentary, we have highlighted the challenges that the visually impaired are facing in the society and how they are moving forward through information technology.” Zahid Hossain Khan Asha, a Professional Fellow and Documentary Researcher at the US State Department, said, “World White Cane Security Day is a day recognized by the United Nations. More than 1.4 million people in the country face visual impairment. In this context, various works are underway on how to integrate our visually impaired people in an effective society through the 4th Industrial Revolution and Information Technology. The context of all those works has been highlighted through this documentary.
Mahbuba Ferdous has produced the documentary ‘It’s time for Digital White Cane’. Zahid Hossain Khan Asha has researched and written the documentary and Iqbal Munna has been involved in the editing and production. It is to be noted that in the last one decade, information technology has brought many changes in the lives of visually impaired people. Now the country is producing digital White Cane and giving it to the visually impaired officially. Digital White Cane has white night vision and security mode. Smart White Cane speaks several languages including Bengali and explains the presence and level of obstruction through vibration. If there is any obstruction between 90 degrees in front and 30 degrees on the side, it can be known through a stick. Smart White Cane Automatic Night-mode in the dark is explaining to others the presence of the user.
Watch the special documentary program ‘Somoy Akhon Digital Shada Chharir’ (It’s time for Digital White Cane) aired on Bangladesh Television and BTV World on the YouTube link of ICT Division .
