Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the Directorate General of Family Planning should stop their one-child population control campaign.
The department’s present campaign slogan is “Not more than two children, one better.”
“I differ with the slogan. I wish to drop the second part of the slogan that stresses on one child,” Hasina said while visiting the ministry of Health and Family Planning on Thursday.
Explaining the reason, she said, “The countries that had initiated the ‘one child’ slogan have now turned into nations of old people. They don’t have young people now.”
Hasina said they were again trying to encourage families to take two children.
She referred to her recent visits to Japan and China where they were trying to promote the slogan of expanding family.
Bangladesh is the world’s eighth-most populous country with 160 million people.
The government has been trying to control population growth for the last several decades. At present the population growth rate is 1.32 percent, which is considered a successful effort.
The prime minister said, “Everybody thinks our population is burden for us. But I don’t think so. If we can provide them with proper education they would be a big asset for us.”
She said Bangladesh was now economically self sufficient. “We don’t have shortage of food. We now need nutrition.”
Hasina directed officials to make people aware of balanced diet.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim and State Minister Zahid Maleque were also present on the occasion.
Source: Bd news24