Staff Correspondent

Dr Zubaida Rahman, spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, today underscored the need to ensure equal opportunities for women’s empowerment, economic emancipation, education and leadership development.

“The progress of women cannot be measured solely by the number of women who have reached top positions,” she said.

“True progress, she said, depends on how many other women are given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, how accessible these opportunities are to women from diverse social and economic backgrounds, and the extent to which their leadership creates a positive impact in the workplace and society at large,” she added. 

Dr Zubaida Rahman made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on women's leadership at a city hotel here.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) and the US Embassy in Dhaka jointly organised the seminar as part of the three-day 30th US Trade Show, which marks the 30th anniversary of the expansion of commercial relations between Bangladesh and the United States.

In her address, Dr Zubaida Rahman highlighted various aspects of women's empowerment, employment, education, healthcare and economic participation.

She said women constitute 50.8 percent of Bangladesh's total population. “Yet, due to various obstacles, a significant number of women in the country remain excluded from the mainstream economy. Issues such as child marriage, limited access to education and inadequate healthcare serve as major barriers to realising women's potential,” she said.

Citing 2025 data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), she pointed out that the female labour force participation rate in Bangladesh stands at 38.6 percent, compared to 80.4 percent for men.

Millions of women across the country's 90,049 villages remain inadequately integrated into the mainstream economy, Dr Zubaida Rahman said.

Highlighting the issue of girls dropping out of the education system, she said that, according to 2023 statistics from BANBEIS, the dropout rate among girls stands at 34.9 percent at the secondary level and 22.5 percent at the higher secondary level.

Besides, she said, women's participation in higher education stands at only 20.8 percent. Therefore, it is essential to ensure consistent support for girls at every stage, she added.

Dr Zubaida Rahman said that merely obtaining a degree does not guarantee employment. A strong foundation in literacy, science, technology and practical skills must also be built for girls.

Additionally, she said, opportunities must be created for them to ask questions, innovate and take on leadership roles.

She said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his government are committed to providing free education for girls up to the undergraduate level. Previously, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia had made education for girls free up to Class-XII, she said.

Referring to the nationwide 'Notun Kuri' sports and cultural competition, she said such initiatives play a vital role in fostering leadership qualities among children, especially girls. “Through these activities, they develop communication skills, teamwork, discipline, accountability, empathy, and the resilience to overcome challenges.”

Emphasising women’s economic emancipation, Dr Zubaida Rahman explained that a woman’s ability to earn, save, and make her own financial decisions not only expands her personal opportunities but also strengthens the overall capacity of her family.

Economic freedom is not just about income but it is the power to shape one’s own future, she said.
 
In this context, she highlighted the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmer Card’ programmes as significant initiatives.

Dr Zubaida Rahman said an initiative is being taken to recruit about one lakh health workers and of them, 80 percent will be women.

Dr Zubaida also pointed to the plan to appoint 25,000 professional midwives to ensure better healthcare for women and children.

She further underscored the importance of establishing day-care centres across the country to facilitate a smooth professional life for women.
 
Family responsibilities should not hinder a woman’s career or professional advancement, while opportunities for women to acquire new skills in the workplace and to return to their careers after long breaks must also be ensured, she said.

About technology, Dr Zubaida Rahman said artificial intelligence (AI), digital services, and emerging technologies are transforming the nature of work.

Ensuring the active participation of women in these fields will make the future economy more inclusive and innovative, she said.

She said fostering women’s progress is not solely the government’s responsibility as it requires a collective effort from educational institutions, families, workplaces and society.
 
Dr Zubaida Rahman said: “While celebrating women’s achievements, we must also remove the barriers that unnecessarily complicate their journeys. Through collective effort, it is possible to transform aspirations into opportunities, opportunities into leadership, and leadership into a sustainable impact for Bangladesh,” she said.

Moderated by Zakia Sultana, Country Manager for Mastercard in Bangladesh, the event was addressed by State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin as a panel speaker.

Other members of the panel included Rupali Haque Chowdhury, President of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); Dr Nazneen Ahmed, Executive Director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD); Trishita Maula, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Dhaka; Shu Xiong, President and Managing Director of Chevron Bangladesh; and Rubaba Dowla, Country Managing Director for Oracle in Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.