SANGSAD BHABAN, June 29, 2026 (BSS) - Women and Children Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today said the government has undertaken and been implementing a wide range of programmes to make underprivileged rural women self-reliant, establish their rights and ensure their participation at all levels of society.

He was replying to a written question placed by ruling party lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni from women reserved seat in the Jatiya Sangsad.

The minister said under the Vulnerable Women Benefit (VWB) programme, implemented as part of the government's poverty alleviation initiatives, around 1.04 million poor, distressed and disadvantaged women in 4,583 unions of 493 upazilas are receiving 30 kilograms of packaged nutritious rice every month. 

"Partner NGOs are helping them undertake income-generating activities, awareness-building programmes and skills development training to help them achieve long-term self-reliance," he said.

He said under the Mother and Child Benefit Programme, pregnant women aged between 20 and 35 years from poor families receive a monthly allowance of Tk 850 for up to 36 months for their first and second children. They are also provided with training on maternal health, nutrition, childcare and the psychosocial and intellectual development of children. At present, 1,771,200 women are benefiting from the programme. 

The minister said the ministry is also providing interest-free microcredit to trained women through the offices of district and upazila women affairs officers to create self-employment opportunities. The loans can be used for fish farming, poultry rearing, cattle and goat fattening, small businesses and other income-generating activities.

Women aged 18 to 55 years, including trained, employable, divorced and widowed women, are eligible to apply for the loans. Individual beneficiaries can receive interest-free loans ranging from Tk 25,000 to Tk 75,000, while group loans of up to Tk 2 lakh are also available.

Zahid Hossain said that since the 2003-04 fiscal year, a total of 170,022 women have received Tk 203.63 crore in interest-free loans under the programme. During the same period, the Jatiya Mohila Sangstha disbursed Tk 98.95 crore in loans among 74,078 women.

The minister further said that three-month demand-driven, skill-based training programmes in five trades are being conducted through the offices of deputy directors in all 64 districts to support women's livelihoods.

During the 2025-26 fiscal year, 19,200 women received training under the programme, while Tk 11.90 crore was disbursed as training allowances to the participants.