Collective efforts can solve major social problems: PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that many major social problems can be solved if everyone contributes in their own way.

Assuring full government support for humanitarian and social initiatives by the private sector, he said, “The government will always stand beside those who want to participate in such welfare activities.”

The prime minister made the remarks on Tuesday while inaugurating a programme to distribute 20,000 raincoats to tea garden workers in Sylhet Division to protect them from adverse weather conditions.

The initiative is being supported by corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from the private sector.

At the Prime Minister’s Office at Bangladesh Secretariat, Tarique Rahman handed over raincoats to 10 tea workers from Sreemangal and Kamalganj and inquired about their overall wellbeing.

The prime minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Shahriar Pamir said the programme was taken up as a special initiative of the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Under the programme, 20,000 raincoats are being distributed among tea workers in tea gardens across Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts.

The Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) is providing 10,000 raincoats, Chevron Bangladesh 5,000 and Pandughar Group 5,000.

Representatives of the private sector said supporting disadvantaged and working people alongside business activities is part of their corporate social responsibility.

They expressed their commitment to working with the government in the future to improve the quality of life and ensure safer working conditions for tea workers and other marginalised communities.

During the event, Santuki Roy, a worker from Mazdihi Tea Garden in Sreemangal, presented tea leaves to the prime minister as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of tea workers.

Several tea workers also attended the event and expressed gratitude to the prime minister and the organisations involved in the initiative.

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr A Z M Zahid Hossain, Commerce, Industry and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, and State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin were present at the event.

Representatives of BAPI, Chevron Bangladesh and Pandughar Group also attended the programme.