Tarique unveils plan for daycare centres in univs, offices, factories

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take initiatives to establish daycare centers in all public universities, government offices, as well as private institutions and factories. The party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, announced this in a Facebook post at 10:28 am on Thursday.

Citing the 2024 BBS Labor Force Survey, Tarique Rahman noted that only 43% of women participate in the labour market compared to 80% of men. “That gap is warning us that we are leaving more than half of our nation’s talent behind,” he said.

He said the BNP is planning to make childcare a part of Bangladesh’s economic growth strategy by setting up daycare centres in universities and government offices, making them mandatory in large private institutions and factories, offering tax incentives and CSR credits to employers providing childcare, and providing training and certification for caregivers under the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs’ standards.

Tarique Rahman added, “This single reform can help raise women’s employment, increase family income, allow the growing middle class to find financial stability, and add up to 1% to our GDP. With women making up nearly two-thirds of the garments industry workforce, the contribution of working mothers should not be undervalued. Studies from The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and International Labour Organization (ILO) show factories with childcare enjoy higher retention, lower absenteeism, and recover costs within a year.” 

He emphasised, “Childcare is not charity – it is part of the socio-economic infrastructure. Just as roads connect markets, daycare connects women to opportunity.”

Rahman outlined BNP’s vision, saying, “We have a clear vision to build an inclusive trillion-dollar economy by 2034 that creates millions of jobs, where every citizen, especially women, contribute to their country’s growth with pride.

Tarique Rahman further noted, “We reject any regressive idea that limits women’s potential. Empowering women through childcare, equal pay, and workplace safety is not only fairness — it’s smart economics. The BNP’s goal is simple: to build a modern, people-centered Bangladesh where no woman has to choose between her family and her future.”