Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Thursday stressed the need for economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities, saying adequate income opportunities are essential to improving their living standards and bringing them into the mainstream.
“People will not be well off until money comes into their households,” he said at the inauguration of a parliamentary caucus for disadvantaged communities at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.
The caucus has been formed to advance the rights and interests of disadvantaged communities, with the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, serving as its secretariat.
The Chief Whip said people with adequate incomes could ensure better food, housing, clothing, education and healthcare for their families, while those struggling to meet basic needs often remain preoccupied with survival.
He urged the newly formed caucus to work towards the economic emancipation of disadvantaged people, stressing the need for collective efforts to improve their living conditions.
Referring to Bangladesh's large population and limited land resources, the Chief Whip said ensuring better opportunities and living standards for everyone remained a major challenge.
He also called for reforms in the education system to develop a skilled workforce, emphasising practical skills and the need to change social attitudes towards manual labour.
He said the government had taken initiatives such as farmer cards, family cards and health cards to support people facing economic hardship.
He said both the government and opposition were committed to bringing disadvantaged communities into the mainstream, inviting NGOs and other stakeholders to place practical proposals before parliament to address their concerns.
Assuring them of parliamentary support, he said lawmakers were willing to consider and implement feasible proposals for public welfare.
The program was presided over by Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, chief of the parliamentary caucus. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram attended as the chief guest.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, delivered the introductory remarks on behalf of the caucus secretariat.