Dr Zubaida Rahman, spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, met the Duchess of Edinburgh in Dhaka on Monday, with discussions focusing on women's empowerment, healthcare, education and support for vulnerable communities.
Zubaida welcomed the Duchess and appreciated her longstanding work on women's empowerment, girls' education, child welfare and the prevention of avoidable blindness, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, she outlined the government's initiatives to reduce maternal mortality, strengthen healthcare services through the recruitment of 100,000 health workers, and expand social protection through programmes such as Family Cards and Farmers' Cards. She also highlighted free education for girls and efforts to expand opportunities for women.
She briefed the Duchess on the work of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and SUROVI in improving the lives of disadvantaged communities, particularly women and children. Their activities include promoting women's economic independence and skills development, as well as supporting education, child protection, healthcare, nutrition and sanitation.
Zubaida also highlighted initiatives for underprivileged children and young people, including the Shishu Swarga Model in urban slum communities, the Blue Sky Programme and Proyash, which works to support children with special needs. She also referred to the government's 'One Student, One Tree' programme to promote environmental awareness.
The Duchess appreciated the government's initiatives in healthcare, education, women's empowerment and child welfare. She also commended the contributions of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and SUROVI, and praised the prime minister's commitment to women's empowerment and advocacy against violence against women.
On the Rohingya crisis, Zubaida called for continued international support for Rohingyas and host communities in Bangladesh, stressing the need for their safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar.
The Duchess appreciated Bangladesh's humanitarian role in hosting Rohingyas and acknowledged the responsibility shouldered by the country. She also assured continued advocacy to keep the issue on the international agenda.
The meeting was also attended by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister's Adviser and Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office Mahdi Amin, and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke.
Why it matters
The high-level meeting strengthens bilateral engagement between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom on critical social welfare and humanitarian issues.