Bangladesh outlines education and women's empowerment measures, free undergraduate access for women announced

In his UNGA address, Prime Minister Tarik Rahman emphasized women's central role in Bangladesh's development and laid out measures to expand educational opportunity and female entrepreneurship.

"More than half of the country's population is female. Therefore, women are at the forefront of all government plans for socioeconomic transformation," Rahman said. He described free education opportunities up to the undergraduate level for women, expanded cash financing for women entrepreneurs in small and medium industry, and social protection programs such as the family card, farmers card, sports card and e-health card. He said the government considers the family card issued in the name of the female head of each household a symbol of women's economic empowerment.

Rahman set an education spending target, saying the government plans to increase budgetary allocation to education to "5% of GDP within next 5 years." He also described curriculum changes emphasizing technical and practical education and noted a nationwide student football tournament intended to promote sports in the school curriculum.