DHAKA, April 3, 2017 (BSS)- Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi today highly praised the initiatives of Bangladesh government for ensuring development of children and women and ending gender disparity.
Previously there was a common perception that only NGOs work in the areas of education and empowerment of women and children, he said.
But, now the perception has been changed in Bangladesh, Kailash said during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Gonobhaban residence here this evening.
Bangladesh is the first country which showed the best performance in removing gender disparity in South Asia, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said quoting Kailash after the meeting.
Karim said Kailash also praised the government’s steps to contain child trafficking. In this regard he described an incident of trafficking of a Bangladeshi Muslim boy namely– Nur Mohammad– in India who finally rescued by police as Raj Kumar after changing hands five times.
Kailash appreciated the Prime Minister for writing articles on children particularly on street children. He also appreciated the “Swarna Kishori” programme of the private television channel– Channel i.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu was the pioneer in compulsory primary education. “We are just following his footsteps”, she said highlighting the steps taken by her government for enrollment of the children of poor families in rural areas.
The Prime Minister pointed out her government’s programmes for distribution of textbooks among students up to secondary level to encourage them for education.
About sixty percent of the primary school teachers in Bangladesh are women, she said adding that stipends of the students are being sent in the mobile accounts of the mothers, she said.
“Our government firmly believes that education is the key to development and poverty eradication,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted her government’s initiatives to address radicalization and drug addiction of children. In this regard, Sheikh Hasina, said she has already taken initiative for talks with the people of all walks of life to motivate them against the social menaces.
PMO secretary Suriya Begum and PM’s Military Secretary Major Gen. Mia Mohammad Joynal Abedin were present.