President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday conveyed their love and sincere affection to all children, especially the girls, on the occasion of the National Daughters Day to be celebrated on Saturday.
National Daughters Day is observed every year in the country on September 30 to show the importance of daughters.
This year's theme of the day is 'Investment Priority, Daughter's Rights' (Biniyogey Ogradhikar, Konya Shishur Odhikar).
In separate messages on the eve of the day, they wished the overall success of all programmes taken marking the day.
In his message, President Mohammed Shahabuddin said due to various government and private measures, the rate of child marriage and taking dowry has decreased along with the increase in the female education rate in the country.
The head of the state added that the girls' participation in sports and cultural activities is an enviable success nowadays.
Besides, they are taking the country forward by performing their duties competently in various fields and, as a result, Bangladesh is now a role model for the world in terms of gender equality.
The President believed that investing in a girl-child would be the right investment in the coming days as today's girl child will be able to build an educated family alongside developing her child worthy enough to lead the future world.
"In developing the successful leadership of the smart Bangladesh of the future, we will be more diligent in protecting the rights of girls," Shahabuddin hoped.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the Awami League (AL)-led government has been maintaining the continuity of development with great success for the last 14 and a half years.
Along with the development of the country's education, health and infrastructure, the government is working relentlessly for the development of women and girls, the premier added.
In the national budget of the fiscal year 2023-24, the amount of gender-related allocation is Taka 2 lakh 61 thousand 787 crores, which is 34.37 per cent of the total budget and 5.23 per cent of the GDP, she continued.
She said the national budget has formulated separate gender budgets for 27 ministries and 17 departments, which will be used to protect the overall rights of women and girls.
The premier believed that investment needs to be increased for the flourishing of the girl child at every stage of development.
Then they will become competent and efficient citizens and will be able to make a more important contribution to building a prosperous 'Smart' Bangladesh' in the future, she hoped.
