On the morning of 17 November (Monday), at the invitation of UNICEF Bangladesh, a delegation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami led by it’s Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar participated in an important discussion meeting at their Dhaka office on the topic “The Future, Health, Education, Protection, and Responsibilities for Children in Bangladesh.”
The delegation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami included it’s central executive council member Mobarak Hossain and Jamaat leader and Supreme Court's Senior lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir. The meeting was part of UNICEF’s ongoing dialogue with political parties to ensure children’s rights, and the session from UNICEF’s side was led by Rana Flowers, the UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, UNICEF Bangladesh presented some findings from recent research on the condition of children in Bangladesh. The research highlighted that in Bangladesh, only about 15–20% of expectant mothers actually need a cesarean delivery (surgical birth); however, in practice, 75% of mothers are being forced to undergo cesarean deliveries in hospitals and clinics. This is not only a public health crisis but also creates significant social and economic pressure. It was also reported that nearly 31% of children drop out before reaching the eighth grade, which poses a major obstacle and threat to the nation’s future development. The discussion also covered children’s proper nutrition, mental health, safety, and overall growth and development.
During the session, Mia Golam Parwar clearly stated, “Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will give the highest priority in its upcoming manifesto to the future, rights, health, and education protection of children.”
He further added, “We believe that healthy, educated, and safe children will build a just, humane, and prosperous Bangladesh.”
Participants in the discussion also emphasized the need for coordinated initiatives to protect children’s rights, reform the healthcare system, improve the education system, and reduce the alarming increase in cesarean births.
