Desk Report:
Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, MP, said that the current government is committed to ensuring the overall protection and social security of orphans, helpless and neglected children of the country.
The minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony to inspect various children’s institutions and rehabilitation centers run by the Department of Women’s Affairs and the Department of Social Services in Chittagong on Friday (July 3, 2026), exchange greetings and distribute scholarships, sports equipment and educational materials among children.
The minister said that it is the fundamental responsibility of the state to stand by orphans and helpless children in the society. The goal of the current government is to transform them into skilled human resources by providing them with appropriate education and modern training and bring them back into the mainstream of society. To this end, he called on the government, the wealthy and party leaders and activists of the society, as well as people from all walks of life, to come forward.
The Minister further said that in order to stop irregularities in targeting or beneficiary selection in the case of assistance to distressed women, pregnant and indigent mothers, district, upazila and union level officials should update the list every month or every three months. There can be no discrimination on the basis of politics or religion here. In this case, the only consideration will be whether the woman is truly distressed or pregnant.
The Minister for Women and Children Affairs said that the repayment rate of microloans provided for self-employment by the Department of Women’s Affairs is 82 percent. The Minister highly appreciated the excellent loan repayment mentality and honesty of the women. He called on everyone to encourage women to take this loan.
Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain visited the Raufabad Government Children’s Home (Girls), Chotomi Niwas and the Mentally Disabled Children’s Institution in the morning at the organization of the Chittagong Divisional Social Service Office. During the visit, he inquired about the children and exchanged greetings with them. At this time, the Minister handed over the merit check to four meritorious children in a joyful atmosphere.
The Minister then visited the proposed ‘Child Development Center (Boys)’ in Raojan, Chittagong. He said that this modern center will be built on an area of about two acres.
Later, the Minister visited the Vocational Training Center for Orphans and Destitute Children located in Zianagar, Rangunia and planted a sapling in the center’s premises. Educational materials were distributed among the 48th batch of trainees of the center at a function organized there.
On Friday afternoon, the Minister for Women and Children Affairs visited the ‘Bastuhara Shishu Suraksha Community Hub’ (Special Hub) under the ‘Prevention of Violence and Harmful Practices (PVHP) against Children and Women in Bangladesh’ project run by the Department of Women and Children Affairs, Chittagong, in Bakalia in the city.
There, he spent time with street children and homeless children and distributed new clothes and sports equipment among them. In addition, certificates were distributed among the women trained under the ‘Skill-Based Training for Women for Livelihood’ program, grant checks among registered voluntary women’s associations and microfinance checks among 10 women entrepreneurs under the initiative of the Office of the Deputy Director, Department of Women’s Affairs, Chittagong.
At that time, the Honorable Minister’s wife Dr. Sharifa Karim Swarna, Honorable Members of Parliament from different constituencies of Chittagong, senior officials of the district administration and the Department of Women’s Affairs and Social Services at the district and upazila levels, registered NGO representatives, local media workers and leaders of BNP and its affiliates were present.
