Dhaka: Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir has called on the United Nations system to establish an international mechanism for debt restructuring, debt relief, debt suspension, and sustainable debt solutions to help developing countries address mounting fiscal pressures arising from the Middle East crisis and other global shocks. He said such measures are essential to enable developing countries to sustain investment in children, women, education, health, and social protection while keeping progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track.

According to United News of Bangladesh, Dr. Titumir made these remarks during a meeting with UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban at UNICEF House in New York. He highlighted the challenges posed by rising energy prices, supply chain disruptions, and increasing debt burdens, which have significantly narrowed Bangladesh’s fiscal space. Despite these challenges, he em
phasized the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and advancing its vision of a democratic human welfare state under the ‘Bangladesh First’ philosophy.

State Minister for Planning Zonayed Saki, who was also present at the meeting, reiterated the government’s commitment to a universal life-cycle-based social security system that places women at the center of development. Dr. Titumir discussed the Family Card initiative designed to support women-led households and provide assistance across different stages of life, including pregnancy, childhood, education, disability, and old age.

Zonayed Saki stressed the importance of reliable and integrated data systems and outlined the government’s proposed ‘One Child, One Card, One Number and One Wallet’ strategy to improve birth registration, school enrollment, and access to public services. Additionally, Dr. Titumir sought UNICEF’s cooperation in strengthening teachers’ capacity through digital training and learning tools to enhance the quality
of education. The State Minister highlighted initiatives promoting multilingual learning, sports, culture, museum visits, and extracurricular activities as essential components of children’s holistic development.

Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban congratulated Bangladesh’s newly elected government and welcomed the country’s election to the presidency of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He commended the government’s ambitious initiatives to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children and women, despite significant fiscal constraints. Welcoming the priorities outlined during the meeting, he reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Bangladesh in areas such as education, early childhood development, nutrition, social protection, teacher capacity-building, and child-focused data systems.