Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday shared a personal story involving Fatema Begum, a domestic worker who had long served his late mother Khaleda Zia, saying she has now become a member of their family.

“Many of you may be familiar with a name — Fatema. This woman was also in jail with my mother when she was ill. She has been with her for a long time, for many years, and has now become a member of our family,” he said.

Tarique, the eldest son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was speaking at the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers (UHFPO) Conference-2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised the conference, with over 500 UHFPOs from across the country taking part.

The Prime Minister also handed awards to the best-performing officers in six categories.

Referring to a recent incident, Tarique said a relative of Fatema recently faced complications during delivery at her home in Barishal and was taken to a local hospital.

“After being taken to the Barishal hospital doctors mentioned various complications and immediately decided to refer her to Dhaka,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he later learned from his wife that even some basic treatment could not be provided at the local level.

“They sent her to Dhaka right away. Fatema informed my wife and she spoke to a few people. As a result, her relative managed to receive better treatment,” he added.

He expressed concern saying such support is not available to everyone.

“But the question is, not everyone is Fatema, and not everyone is related to her. Because of that connection, my wife came to know about the matter and took care of it. The baby was born, though unwell, but the situation was somehow managed,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that many complications could have been avoided if those responsible at the hospital had been more attentive.

“If those on duty had been a bit more careful and caring, many of the problems could have been avoided—if not all, at least a significant number,” he said.

He urged healthcare professionals to be more responsible and compassionate in their duties.

“As a citizen of this country, I request you to support us and support the government so that no one needs to depend on personal connections like Fatema’s case. Every person should be able to receive at least basic healthcare services,” Tarique said.

Calling for a more humane and accountable healthcare system, he urged all concerned to work together to ensure fair and effective service delivery across the country.