A two-day workshop on family planning from an Islamic perspective and on the revision, expansion, and necessary updating of the book “Family Planning in the Light of Islam” was held in the capital.

The workshop began on Tuesday (11 August) at the Population Services and Training Center (PSTC) building in Aftabnagar, Dhaka. The workshop was organized by the Information, Education and Motivation (IEM) Unit of the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), with support from the Population Services and Training Center (PSTC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The inaugural session was held on 11 August, while the closing session will take place on 12 August.

Director General of the Directorate General of Family Planning, Dr. Jinnat Rehana, attended the workshop as the Chief Guest. Special Guests included Mr. S. M. Nazrul Islam, ndc, Joint Secretary, Population Wing, Health Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Mr. Vibhavendra Raghuyamshi, Chief of Health, UNFPA Bangladesh.

In her speech, Chief Guest Dr. Jinnat Rehana said, “Although Bangladesh is moving towards the category of a developing economy, many misconceptions about family planning still exist among people in rural areas. Family planning should not be imposed on people; rather, it should be achieved through motivation and encouragement. To achieve the SDG targets of reducing the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), maternal mortality, and child mortality by 2030, it is essential to take coordinated and integrated initiatives.”

In his speech, Special Guest Mr. S. M. Nazrul Islam, ndc, Joint Secretary of the Population Wing of the Health Education and Family Welfare Division, said, “Bangladesh is currently enjoying a golden opportunity of demographic dividend. The country will be able to reap its true benefits only when we achieve replacement-level fertility within the expected timeframe. Therefore, the key messages of family planning from an Islamic perspective need to be disseminated across urban, semi-urban, and rural communities.”

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Noor Mohammad, Executive Director of PSTC. He said, “The initiative taken by the IEM Unit of the Directorate General of Family Planning to update and expand the book ‘Family Planning in the Light of Islam’ is a very timely initiative. We now need to focus not only on family planning but also on family welfare and reproductive health.”

The workshop featured detailed discussions on various aspects of family planning from an Islamic perspective, related physical and religious considerations, and different areas requiring revision, correction, and expansion in the book “Family Planning in the Light of Islam.” Emphasis was also placed on increasing public awareness of family planning and presenting Islamic-based information and messages to the public in a simpler, more acceptable, and more effective manner.

Officials and representatives from the Directorate General of Family Planning, PSTC, UNFPA, Islamic Foundation, and other relevant government and non-government organizations participated in the workshop. The discussions emphasized the importance of creating effective public awareness by integrating religious values with modern public health information related to family planning.

During the workshop, the chapters of the previous edition of the book were reviewed and discussed in detail. Through group discussions, analysis, and expert feedback, necessary revisions, additions, and expansions to the book were identified and proposed.