Diplomatic Correspondent: Sweden has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh in key social development areas, including gender equality, child welfare, and humanitarian support, during a high-level meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain met with Swedish Ambassador to Dhaka Nicolas Weeks to discuss expanding bilateral collaboration in social protection, women and child development, and support for vulnerable communities.
According to an official statement, the minister highlighted that Sweden’s technical expertise and development experience could play a significant role in advancing Bangladesh’s social welfare initiatives. He expressed appreciation for Sweden’s continued support to development programs in Bangladesh.
The minister outlined the government’s priority areas, including women’s empowerment, protection of children, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and improving livelihoods of marginalized groups. He also underscored the implementation of food programmes for primary school students, along with a declared “zero tolerance” policy on violence against women and children.
A key initiative discussed was the proposed “Universal Family Card” programme, described as a landmark social protection measure aimed at supporting ordinary citizens. The minister said that in the first phase, 37,814 family cards were distributed in Dhaka, followed by 911 in Bogura in the second phase. Under the programme, beneficiary families are expected to receive a monthly allowance of Tk 2,500, disbursed directly through mobile wallets or bank accounts.
The minister also briefed the envoy on ongoing initiatives such as expanding daycare centres up to the upazila level, promoting co-curricular education through children’s academies, and providing vocational training in foreign languages, caregiving, and outsourcing skills to enhance youth employment opportunities.
Ambassador Weeks praised Bangladesh’s social welfare efforts and reiterated Sweden’s commitment to deepening longstanding friendly relations between the two countries. He identified potential areas for enhanced cooperation, including prevention of gender-based violence, child nutrition and education, humanitarian assistance for climate-vulnerable populations, and support for persons with disabilities.
The Rohingya refugee crisis also featured prominently in the discussions, alongside topics such as women entrepreneurship, child rights, and sustainable social development.
The Swedish envoy assured continued technical assistance, training, and financial support to help Bangladesh achieve its broader social development goals. The minister, in turn, sought Sweden’s cooperation in implementing Bangladesh’s proposed “Integrated Social Welfare Model” leveraging Swedish expertise.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare and representatives of the Swedish Embassy were also present at the meeting.