DHAKA, June 02, 2025 (BSS) - Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today proposed allocating Taka 5,078 crore for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs for fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, which is Taka 38 crore higher than the allocation in the revised budget in FY 2024-2025. 

The finance adviser presented the budget in a televised speech. 

In his speech, Dr Ahmed said, "Ensuring women's rights, protection and economic independence is one of the main goals of our government. To ensure their safety, accommodation facilities are being provided to 1,399 women. Skill-based programmes have been taken for women through the National Academy for Women Training and Development, and training is being imparted through women training centers at the upazila level."

He said a total of 10,455 women entrepreneurs have been trained in different trades through the capacity building project of Joyeeta Foundation. Under the VWB programme, 20,000 selected women have been trained for women empowerment and poverty alleviation, he added. 

Under the project of establishing adolescent clubs, the adviser said, 7 lakh 32 thousand 450 adolescents have been given training on prevention of child marriage and prevention of gender-based violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right (SRHR). A dedicated desk for women entrepreneurs has been set up in every branch of banks and financial institutions to increase the scope of financial inclusion of women and ensure business-friendly environment, he said. 

Besides, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said, Tk 30,000 crore refinance scheme has been launched to make it easier for women to get loans and they are getting loans up to Tk 25 lakh from this scheme without any collateral. 

"I propose to allocate a fund of Tk 125 crore in the next fiscal year to strengthen the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs by improving the business environment for them," he added.

In the current fiscal year, he said, about 40,000 children across the country have received training on various cultural subjects for physical, mental and cultural development of children. Through this training program, efforts are made to instill creativity, patriotism and humanitarian values among the children. 

In addition, he said, financial assistance has been provided to 84 families of child martyrs of the July Mass Uprising and efforts are being made to bring the children injured in the Mass Uprising back to the mainstream. Through child daycare centers, 1,700 children are being served and under another project of 20 daycare centers 1,200 children aged from 6 months to 6 years are being served, he added.