Vice President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and eminent physician Dr Zubaida Rahman on Monday urged children to prepare themselves as the builders of tomorrow's Bangladesh, saying they are the future of the nation and will play the leading role in shaping the country’s future.
She made the remarks while visiting child care and rehabilitation facilities run by the Department of Social Services in Tejgaon, Dhaka, and speaking at an interaction programme with children.
Members of the government children’s home welcomed her with dance, songs and cultural performances. Zubaida Rahman watched the performances with keen interest and praised the children’s talents.
Expressing optimism about their future, she said proper education and moral upbringing would enable the children to succeed in their respective fields and showcase Bangladesh’s talent on the global stage.
She stressed the importance of honesty and discipline from early childhood, saying a strong moral foundation would help children grow into responsible and ideal citizens.
Highlighting the importance of early childhood care, Zubaida Rahman said women constitute about 50.58 percent of Bangladesh’s population, or around 90.42 million people, while children aged between 0 and 14 account for 28.36 percent of the total population.
Recalling a personal memory from her school days, she said one of her teachers had to leave her young daughter alone at home after school hours while working as a private tutor to support the family.
She said she still remembers seeing the child peering through a window grille, anxiously waiting for her mother to return home. Although the girl later received advanced treatment after suffering mental distress and eventually became well-educated and professionally established, Zubaida Rahman said such childhood experiences leave lasting emotional scars.�" UNB
