Dr. Zubaida Rahman calls for emphasis on education, technology and health sectors for children

At the invitation of US First Lady Mrs. Melania Trump, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman is on a two-day official visit to Washington DC (March 24-25) to participate in the 'Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit'. More than forty First Ladies and wives of heads of state from different countries of the world participated in the conference, which is serving as an important platform for high-level dialogue on the welfare and development of children worldwide.

On Tuesday (March 24), the US First Lady officially inaugurated the conference at the US State Department and delivered the opening speech. At the event, Dr. Zubaida Rahman emphasized the importance of caring for children and raising them in a safe environment, providing family cards and farmer cards for the development of the people of Bangladesh, and bringing about change and prosperity in the education and health sectors. At the time, she called for strengthening global cooperation to build an inclusive, tolerant and prosperous future.

Along with the conference, an exhibition was held with the participation of 11 leading US technology companies, where various innovative technologies and applications for improving children's education were presented. Dr. Zubaida Rahman and her delegation visited the exhibition.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman will participate in the closing session of the conference hosted by the US First Lady at the White House on Wednesday (March 25).

In the working session of the opening ceremony, Zubaida Rahman thanked the US First Lady for bringing together world leaders and partners in a global commitment to children's development. She noted that the future of every nation depends on the care, education and values ​​of their children. This platform of bringing together representatives from different countries of the world to take global initiatives for the welfare of children is very significant.

Zubaida Rahman mentioned that the newly elected Bangladesh government under the leadership of Tarique Rahman is working to build an inclusive and future-oriented state. Various initiatives have already been taken, including the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmers Card’, which she believes will provide financial assistance to the beneficiary families as well as ensure that children grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

As a doctor, she reiterated her commitment to ensuring quality and accessible healthcare for children. Zubaida Rahman said that it is important to emphasize preventive measures along with treatment, especially from the early stages of life. She also said that her involvement with the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and the ‘Survi’ program has further strengthened her commitment to work for education, youth development and community welfare.

Zubaida Rahman said that artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize the education system, especially in developing countries including Bangladesh where there is a shortage of trained teachers and resources. She said that the government has already taken initiatives to modernize education by providing tablets and computers for teachers, introducing digital curricula and introducing multimedia-based classrooms.

She said that technology, especially ed-tech, is playing an important role in reducing the existing disparities between urban and rural areas. At the same time, she also expressed her commitment to ensure the ethical and safe use of technology to ensure the safety of children.

Regarding women's empowerment, she said that Bangladesh has a strong tradition. During the time of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, human rights progress and free education for girls up to class 12 were introduced. She also said that the current government is working to ensure free education for women up to the postgraduate level.

Referring to the laying of the foundation of the garment industry under the leadership of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, Zubaida Rahman said that through this, employment has been created for millions of women, which has strengthened families and ensured a better life for children.

At the conference, she highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships and international cooperation and said, we are interested in working with global partners to create a safe digital environment, develop skilled teachers, empower parents and improve the quality of education.

At the end of her speech, Dr. Zubaida Rahman said, through knowledge sharing, mutual learning and cooperation across borders, we can strengthen the future of children not only in our country but also around the world.

Dr. Zubaida Rahman was assisted by distinguished educationist Dr. Morshed Hasan Khan, Professor of Marketing Department of Dhaka University, Dr. Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, Senior Medical Officer to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and female entrepreneur Ms. Mehnaz Mannan. Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tarique Md. Ariful Islam, Deputy Chief of Mission D. M. Salahuddin Mahmud were present at the event.