Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said ensuring every child gets the opportunity to grow and develop properly is crucial to building a strong foundation for Bangladesh and making the country stronger in the today’s competitive world.
“Today’s children are the pillars of their families. If they can grow up properly, the foundation of their families will become stronger. Likewise, if we can provide all children across Bangladesh with opportunities to develop properly, the foundation of our country will become much stronger,” he said.
The Prime Minister was speaking in a discussion at Bangladesh Shishu Academy marking the Children’s Rights Day 2026 and the 50th anniversary of the academy.
Tarique Rahman said, “Making the future of today’s children strong means making the future of the nation strong. And a strong future for the nation means we will be able to build a strong and powerful Bangladesh.”
Addressing the children as his “little friends”, the Premier said children should not be confined only to academic studies, but should also be given opportunities to explore their talents in sports, arts, culture and music.
He urged parents to recognise and nurture the individual qualities of their children instead of putting them under pressure to pursue only conventional academic activities.
“I want you to complete what I could not,” he told the children, recalling his own childhood interest in playing the guitar and keyboard.
The Prime Minister said many children have talents in drawing, recitation, music, dance and other creative activities, and urged them to develop those talents fully.
He said the government wants children to have exposure to arts and culture alongside sports and music so that they can develop themselves according to their individual interests.
Tarique Rahman said the government has already taken initiatives to identify and develop children’s sporting talents, including a nationwide primary-level football competition in which around 22 lakhs boys and girls participated.
