PM announces free education for girls up to undergraduate level

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced today (27 April) that girls' education in Bangladesh will be made free up to the undergraduate and degree levels to further expand women's education in the country.

"Khaleda Zia made secondary education free for girls between 1991 and 1996 to promote women's education. Later, during the 2001-2006 term, she extended it to higher secondary level. To complete her unfinished work, we have decided to make girls' education free up to the undergraduate and degree levels," he said.

He made the remarks this afternoon while speaking as the chief guest at a rally organised by the district BNP at the Jashore Eidgah Maidan.

In his speech, Tarique outlined the government's future plans and the current political situation in detail.

Highlighting new welfare initiatives for women, he said the coverage of the Family Card programme would be gradually expanded to reach millions of people.

He also announced the introduction of LPG gas cards for women to ease cooking hardships.

In addition, the PM promised that several closed factories across the country would be reopened within the next few months.

Criticising political opponents, Tarique said, "Those who once sold tickets to Jannat are now calling BNP a collaborator of fascism while secretly holding meetings with fascist forces."

"Those who hold secret meetings outside Dhaka with authoritarian elements do not work for the people, and those who misled citizens in 1971 and 2008 are again attempting to do so in 2026," he said, urging the public to remain vigilant.

He further said that BNP would not allow any opportunity for disruption of public peace, adding that the country had witnessed 173 days of hartal in the past, and such a situation would not be allowed to recur.

Tarique also warned that no one will be allowed to call hartals that disrupt public peace.