Tk 5.0b sought in FY 26 for prevention

Adviser to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Sharmeen Soneya Murshid has sought a lump sum allocation of Tk 5.0 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 for prevention of violence against women and children.

She made the request to the Finance adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed in a letter, said officials.

Ms. Murshid said prevention of violence against women and children is very important for the sake of establishing women's economic and social rights, and safeguarding children's rights.

And it is the key responsibility and goals of the ministry to help prevent violence against women and children, she mentioned in the letter, adding that more effective initiatives are needed in this respect.

For doing so, the ministry requires a lump sum allocation in the next fiscal budget 2025-26, said the official.

According to a senior official of the ministry, violence against women and children remains a serious social problem in Bangladesh, despite having necessary laws and policies.

The extent of sexual harassments and violence against women has increased both in public spaces and online. Child abuse, child marriage and domestic violence are still taking place at alarming levels, he said.

In most cases women become victims of such abuse and they do not get appropriate legal and psychological supports, he added.

Keeping this in view, there in an urgent need for strengthening the legal framework, expansion of various programs to help prevent violence against women and children up to the union parishad levels, he added.

When asked, a senior official of the finance division acknowledged that the Women and Children Affairs ministry sent a letter to his ministry, seeking the allocation .

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