Deafness in Bangladesh
Open-knowledge reference entry
Deafness in Bangladesh is a major health issue. About 9.6% of the population of Bangladesh (about 13.7 million people as estimated from the 2011 census), is deaf or hard of hearing (having a loss of 40 dB or more). Hearing loss in any degree is present in 34.6% of the population (49.2 million), and profound hearing loss (a loss of 90 dB of more) is present in 1.2% of the population (1.7 million). The sign language used in Bangladesh is called Bangla Sign Language (BdSL). Deaf people in Bangladesh often do not have access to treatment or education, and commonly face discrimination. There are many Deaf associations in Bangladesh.
Causes
Most hearing loss in Bangladesh arises in adulthood, with people over 60 years of age and people of lower socio-economic status being the most likely to have significant hearing loss. Common causes of hearing loss in Bangladesh include impacted ear wax, chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), and otitis media with effusion (OME). Congenital deafness, excessive urban noise, and the use of ototoxic drugs also contribute to the high rate of hearing loss in Bangladesh.
Bangla sign language
History
Bangla Sign Language (BdSL), also known as Bengali Sign Language or Bangladeshi Sign Language, is believed to have originated at the Calcutta Deaf and Dumb School, founded in 1893.
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