Diplomatic Desk:
The Honorable Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, MP, paid a courtesy call on the Honorable High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke. The meeting was held at the Minister’s office room at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday (July 7, 2026). Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Yasmin Parveen, NDC, was present at the time.
The meeting discussed various issues of mutual interest including sustainable development of women and children, gender equality, economic and political empowerment of women, women’s education, prevention of child marriage, online cyberbullying and elimination of violence against women and children.
During the meeting, the Minister said that the current government, Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman, is working to build a humane and just Bangladesh for all by taking a strong stand against corruption and eliminating all forms of violence against women and children in order to implement the election promises made to the people.
UK High Commissioner Sarah Cook called for further cooperation between the UK and Bangladesh in various sectors including social security, protection of women and children’s rights. At the same time, she expressed the UK’s commitment to support various ongoing development programs in the country.
During the meeting, the Minister informed about various programs of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare such as Family Card, One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC), Quick Response Team (QRT) and DNA Lab. To prevent sexual harassment and violence, the government is collecting scientific evidence through DNA laboratories and expediting the trial process of crimes like rape more reliably, so that the victims get justice. In addition, in addition to providing education, food and medical assistance to tea workers, Santal and backward women living in the hills, he said that training will be provided in various training centers on handicrafts and care-giving to make women self-reliant.
When the High Commissioner expressed interest in knowing about the family card, the Minister said that immediately after the current government took office, the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Finance are implementing the Universal Family Card Program to make the neglected, insolvent, poor, destitute and lower-class women of the country financially self-reliant. The government is giving special importance to women and is issuing family cards online in the name of women in a completely transparent process, where religion, caste or political ideology are not being considered at all in issuing the cards.
He also said that the government has taken measures to provide free mid-day meals and uniforms for the welfare of children.
During the discussion, when the Minister sought special assistance in order to enable Bangladeshi women to export their handmade products to the UK, Sarah Cook expressed her expectation of positive cooperation in this regard and the High Commissioner highly appreciated the recent performance of the Bangladeshi women’s cricket and football teams.
The High Commissioner noted the UK’s continued humanitarian assistance to the displaced Rohingya in Myanmar and expressed hope that they would be able to return to their country as soon as possible.
