Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Bangladesh will be turned into a social welfare state in the true sense of the term by 2041.
“The country’s womenfolk never thought of getting maternity allowance and now allowance for deserted women would also be introduced. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government wants to make the country a social welfare state alongside a developed one,” he said.
The minister was addressing, as the chief guest, a ceremony to award fellowship certificates to journalists on menstrual health management at CIRDAP auditorium here.
Under ‘Ritu’ project with the cooperation of the Netherlands government, some 90 journalists were imparted training on menstrual health management and 10 journalists were given awards under five categories.
Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning Quazi A. K. M Mohiul Islam, Deputy Head of Mission of Netherlands Embassy in Dhaka Jeroen Steeghs and Deputy Secretary of Women and Children Affairs Ministry Dr Abul Hossain, among others, addressed the function.
Red Orange Media and Communications Managing Director Arnob Chakrabarty chaired it.
The information minister said Bangladesh is ahead of other SAARC countries in terms of reaching health services to the doorsteps of people.
Bangladesh is providing better healthcare to its people through community clinics than India and Pakistan, he added.
Hasan said the country is ahead in human development, social and economic indices among South Asian countries.
He said the country’s maternal and child mortality rates are lower than India and now the average life expectancy stood at 73 years whereas it is 69 years in India and 67 years in Pakistan.
The minister said the government wants to build a developed nation along with a developed state.
“To build a develop nation, we will have to develop our mindset and human values,” he added.
