State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam addressed a seminar of Munshiganj district administration today. Photo: BSS

MUNSHIGANJ, July 11, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today said the government is maintaining diplomatic engagement with countries where fugitive members of the former autocrats regime have taken refuge and they would be brought back to Bangladesh to face justice.

"They (autocrats) will be brought back to Bangladesh through diplomatic channels to stand trial before the country's 170 million people," she said while replying to a question from journalists after addressing a seminar in Munshiganj this afternoon.

The seminar, titled "Women's Advancement, Education and Career", was organised by the Munshiganj district administration at the Sadar Upazila auditorium.

Highlighting the government's commitment to women's empowerment, the state minister said former BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia had taken the historic decision to introduce free education for girls, while the present government has extended the facility up to the undergraduate level.

She also said the highest allocation in the current national budget has been earmarked for the education sector.

Shama said the government has undertaken initiatives to make women economically self-reliant through the Family Card programme.

"When women become economically self-reliant, the country's economy, families and society will become stronger," she said, adding that there is no scope to underestimate the role of women.

She noted that women had played leading roles in the Language Movement of 1952, the Liberation War in 1971, the 1990 mass uprising and the 2024 democratic movement.

The state minister also said the government has brought Bangladesh's missions abroad under greater accountability to improve services for expatriate Bangladeshis.

She added that measures are being taken under the Cyber Security Act to protect women from online bullying and harassment.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Syeda Nurul Ashrafi chaired the seminar.

Among others, Munshiganj-3 lawmaker Md. Kamruzzaman, Superintendent of Police Md. Menhazul Alam, PPM, District Council Administrator A.K.M. Eradat, Civil Surgeon Dr. Sajeda Begum, Government Women's College Principal Nishat Nahar and student representative Sumaiya Yasmin Mun addressed the programme.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Sharif Ullah delivered the welcome address.