Dhaka:Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Prof. Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain announced that national plans are being enriched and made more effective to align with the demands of contemporary times.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Zahid highlighted that the election manifesto, formulated under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, prioritizes the aspirations of the people, and the government is working tirelessly to implement it. These remarks were made during a discussion at a hotel, marking the release of the World Bank report titled "Demographic Change in South Asia From Tailwinds to Headwinds for Development."
State Minister for Planning Md. Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki participated in the meeting as a discussant. The event included notable figures such as Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Chairman of the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and Cem Mete, World Bank's Regional Practice Director for South Asia.
Dr. Zahid emphasized the government's commitment to empowering women, introducing "Family Cards" to designate the eldest woman in a household as the head. This initiative aims to assist women in managing household expenses and ensuring children's education, while also supporting their entrepreneurial endeavors to contribute to the national GDP growth.
The Minister also mentioned the government's allocation of approximately taka 1.43 lakh crore for social safety net programs, including allowances for women during the 1,000-day maternity period and seed money for self-reliance post-income-generating training. Furthermore, the government has secured the highest-ever budgetary allocation for education, focusing on skill development for the younger generation.
Md. Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki noted the government's adoption of a 'life-cycle-based protection strategy' to create an inclusive and humane state, enhancing social safety nets for marginalized populations. This approach aims to eliminate inequality and ensure sustainable social and economic parity.
Experts at the meeting warned of a demographic shift in South Asia, with a declining young and working-age population after 2034 and a rapid transition to an aging society by 2049. They stressed the urgency of generating large-scale employment, increasing women's workforce participation, developing a skilled human resource base, and strengthening healthcare and social security systems to avert this crisis.