Sohrab Ahmed Shamim has difficulties walking. His left leg is too weak to support the load of the body. Because of his disability and financial conditions, he could study up to only seventh grade. For him, it was quite difficult to find a job and live a dignified life.

But fortune smiled on him when he received treatment at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Savar. The CRP authorities referred him to Eco Fab Ltd, a garment factory, and he finally secured a job there as an apprentice for ironing clothes.

Yesterday, he came to collect the appointment letter at a job fair in the capital's BGMEA Bhaban. He would be receiving Tk 6,000 every month throughout his apprenticeship.

The 19-year-old was one of the 80 people with disabilities who received appointment letters at the fair. They were recruited earlier through different channels.

Moreover, 200 more such people appeared for job interviews at the fair and 72 of them got on-the-spot appointment, said Mominur Rahman, programme officer of Leonard Cheshire Disability, a partner of Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN), which organised the fair.

With a master's degree in accounting, Liakat Ali Sarker, 28, also came to attend an interview. Having suffered from polio, he faces trouble walking. That's why he was looking for the job of a computer operator. 

At least 20 private enterprises offered positions at the daylong "Job Fair for Persons with Disabilities 2017". They were looking for candidates with disabilities.

Talking to The Daily Star, Shamsur Nahar, production manager of Dutch Bangla Pack Ltd, a producer of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), said they needed a female candidate for monitoring CCTV videos on the TV screen.

Addressing the opening session of the fair, speakers said persons with disabilities could make contributions to every workplace. There is a huge pool of potential employees from this section of the population, from whom companies and businesses can benefit, they said.

Siddiqur Rahman, president of BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association), said these specially-abled people should be motivated in the workplace. Companies should train them and put them in positions where their passion lies, he said.

Afroza Khan, secretary-in-charge at the labour and employment ministry, said this sort of job fair should also be held in remote areas in the country where there were little employment opportunities for disabled people.

Kishore Kumar Singh, chief technical advisor, International Labour Organization (ILO), also spoke on the occasion.