Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Monday said the responsibility of building an equitable and just society cannot rest on the state alone, urging citizens to actively participate in addressing social challenges.

“Thinking that the state will do everything will not work. We are all citizens of the state – so everyone has responsibilities,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a programme titled “Equality and Justice in the Changing Landscape of Bangladesh” organised by Plan International Bangladesh at a city hotel.

The minister said the state can introduce necessary systems and policies, but society must take the responsibility to ensure their effective implementation. “If the state and its people work together, we can easily overcome the challenges,” he added.

Referring to the existing legal framework, he said if current laws are not sufficient to address emerging issues, stakeholders should inform the government so that new laws can be considered.

Zahid said, “The existence of laws addressing violence against women and children is not enough without proper enforcement. The current government is committed to ensuring their full implementation and will adopt a zero-tolerance stance on all forms of such violence."

He also emphasised that there will be no compromise on women’s welfare and rights.

Dr Jahed Ur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Policy and Strategy related to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, also spoke at the event, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami MP Saiful Alam Khan Milon attended the programme as a special guest.