Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, took part in the closing session of the “Fostering the Future Together: Global Coalition Summit” at the White House in Washington, DC of United States on Wednesday.

The two-day summit brought together first ladies and spouses of leaders from more than 45 countries.

Dr Zubaida attended the event at the invitation of US First Lady Melania Trump.

The summit aimed to serve as a high-level platform for dialogue on improving the wellbeing and future prospects of children worldwide.

Dr Zubaida led a four-member delegation that included Dhaka University Professor Morshed Hasan Khan, orthopaedic surgeon Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, and Barrister Mehnaz Mannan.

Earlier, US First Lady Melania Trump inaugurated the summit at the US State Department and delivered the opening remarks on Tuesday.

Dr Zubaida also participated in the opening session and delivered a speech emphasising the importance of caring for children and ensuring they grow up in a safe environment.

She highlighted Bangladesh’s initiatives for children, including the family card and farmers’ card programmes, as well as progress in the education and health sectors.

During the summit, Dr Zubaida held courtesy meetings with Melania Trump and other first ladies and spouses.

She exchanged views with them on global cooperation for child welfare and stressed the importance of partnership in improving children’s lives worldwide.

Alongside the summit, an exhibition showcased 11 leading US technology companies presenting innovative tools and applications to enhance children’s education. Dr Zubaida visited the exhibition and observed the latest technologies.

In her address at the closing session, Dr Zubaida thanked the US First Lady for organising the summit and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to learning from global experiences and working in partnership with other countries to ensure a brighter future for all children.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Additional Press Secretary, Atiqul Rahman Rumon, said Dr Zubaida met Melania Trump on 25 March and exchanged greetings.

They agreed to collaborate on initiatives for the welfare of children.

Rumon also Dr Zubaida also met and exchanged views with the first ladies of other countries. Later, she took part in the closing session of the conference and joined a group photo session and reception.

Dr Zubaida left Dhaka on March 22 and reached the United States via London the next day.