News Flash
DHAKA, July 14, 2026 (BSS) - Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, MP has called for strengthening mutual cooperation among the Islamic Ummah to build an inclusive humanitarian society through women's advancement.
He made the call yesterday while addressing the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad, Pakistan, said PID release here today.
Ministerial representatives from the OIC member states attended the conference held on July 12-13.
The minister said women's advancement is not only a social goal but also a strategic issue for the collective prosperity of the Muslim Ummah, and OIC has always remained at the forefront of initiatives taken for women's empowerment.
He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the present government has adopted women's rights as one of the key pillars of its national reform agenda, which is directly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Highlighting Bangladesh's remarkable progress in women's development, the minister said Bangladesh is internationally recognised as a pioneer in Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB), which is currently being implemented in 62 ministries and divisions.
Referring to progress in the education sector, he said gender parity has been achieved from primary to higher education in line with SDG-4.
Education up to the undergraduate level is free and stipend programmes are in place, while the government plans to make education completely free up to the postgraduate level, he said.
He added that from next year, free uniforms will be provided to primary school children and the mid-day meal programme for primary students is continuing, while the number of women teachers at primary schools has also increased significantly.
He said under SDG-3, the maternal mortality rate has been reduced to 136 per 100,000 live births.
The minister said efforts are underway to include women from 41 lakh poor families in the Family Card programme this year to achieve SDGs 1 and 10 in the social protection sector, while the number will be increased to 1.60 crore to 1.70 crore over the next four years.
Allowances for mothers and child welfare, destitute women, women and children with disabilities, widows and small ethnic communities are also continuing, he added.
To achieve SDG-8, vocational training and start-up capital are being provided to marginalised women, he said, adding that women's participation is increasing in agriculture, the garment industry, journalism and politics.
The minister said women are being provided with life skills training in line with SDG-13 to address climate challenges, while financial grants are being provided to local NGOs working at the grassroots level. Adolescent clubs in every union are playing an active role in preventing child marriage, he added.
He also mentioned that day-care centres for working mothers and safe accommodation for working women are also being expanded.
He called for renewed commitment to further strengthening the OIC's efforts for the advancement of women across the Muslim Ummah.
On the sidelines of the conference, the minister held bilateral meetings with Secretary General of the Family Affairs Council of Saudi Arabia Dr. Maimoonah Khalil Alkhalil, Türkiye's Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktas, Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Zahra Behrouz Azar, Libya's Deputy Minister for Women's Affairs Grebe Randa, Iraq's Vice President for Women and Family Professor Dr. Zainab Al-Mulla Al-Sultani, Maldives' Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali and Somalia's Minister of Family and Human Rights Development Khadija Al Makhzoumi.
The minister also met Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad and discussed maintaining bilateral relations.
During his meeting with Secretary General of the Family Affairs Council of Saudi Arabia, the minister said Bangladesh has always been a trusted friend of Saudi Arabia.
He said millions of Bangladeshi workers have had the opportunity to become partners in Saudi Arabia's development journey over the past several decades.
The minister expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia's trust in and hospitality towards Bangladeshi nationals.
