News Flash
DHAKA, Oct 11, 2025 (BSS)- BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said BNP has a tradition of changing people's lives.
"BNP government has a tradition of changing lives, and we reiterate our pledge to do much more if we get the opportunity,” he said.
Tarique Rahman said this in a message issued on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child.
Regarding the International Day of the Girl Child, Tarique Rahman said, "Let us celebrate every girl's right to dream, to learn, to lead and to live with dignity."
"As a father of a daughter, I know that the empowerment of girls is not merely a policy matter; it is profoundly personal. Our dream for Bangladesh is to build a nation where every girl will have the same freedom, opportunity and security that every parent desires for their own child,” he added.
Mentioning the contributions of BNP founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to the development of women and children, the Acting Chairman said, "We saw how President Ziaur Rahman fostered the growth of the ready-made garment industry, transforming it from just an industry into a symbol of hope. Millions of women entered the formal workforce, gaining income, dignity, and independence. It was under his leadership that the 'Ministry of Women and Children Affairs' was established; its core objective was to institutionalize the improvement of the standard of living for the country's women and girl children."
"Under Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's leadership, education for girls was established as a right, not a privilege. Education up to the higher secondary level was made free for girls, and programmes like 'Food for Education' and 'Cash for Education' allowed millions of girls to stay in school; this changed the fate of families, built a strong women's community, and created an empowered generation of women, Tarique Rahman added.
He further said, " Khaleda Zia through her pioneering 'Female Secondary School Assistance Project,' gender parity in secondary education was achieved for the first time in history and the rate of child marriage decreased. This project was later recognized globally as a successful model for girls' education and empowerment and was replicated in many developing countries."
BNP Acting Chairman noted that these steps demonstrated how the seemingly impossible can be achieved when good governance respects the dignity of the girl child and invests in their future.
Stating that the BNP's future policies will continue this respect and investment, he outlined six steps-
1.'Family Card' in the Name of Female Household Heads: To ensure that assistance and incentives reach the true pillars of the families.
2. SME Loans, Business Training and Financial Assistance for Female Entrepreneurs: Because there will be no compromise on economic independence.
3. Robust Academic and Technical Education Opportunities for Girls: So that every girl, whether in a village or a city, can acquire skills and build her own future.
4. Increased Participation of Women in Policy Making: Ensuring seats for women in politics, administration, and policy formulation; because there is no alternative to this for building a secure nation.
5. Protection of Dignity and Freedom: So that every girl can move freely, express herself, use the internet, and live a life free of fear. And
6. Placing Family and Social Welfare at the Core of Policy: Paying special attention to women and girl children in the fields of health, rural development, and employment.
