Half-Yearly Meeting of the Child Welfare Board in Kotalipara

The half-yearly meeting of the Upazila Child Welfare Board was held in Kotalipara, Gopalganj, with the aim of coordinating initiatives across various departments to ensure child protection, rights, and overall well-being.

The meeting took place on Tuesday afternoon (October 6) at the Upazila Parishad Hall Room, organized by the Upazila Social Services Office with the support of World Concern Bangladesh. Saif-ul-Arefin, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Chairperson of the Upazila Child Welfare Board, presided over the session.

Detailed discussions were held regarding ensuring education, health, safety, rights, and social protection for children. Emphasis was placed on the coordinated roles of relevant government departments, public representatives, social workers, and non-governmental development organizations in identifying and addressing the risks and various issues faced by children.

Speakers at the meeting included Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Kumar Mridul Das, Upazila Primary Education Officer Shekhar Ranjan Bhakta, Upazila Social Services Officer Sadhan Bal, World Concern Bangladesh ECCR Project Officer Prabal Saha, and Kotalipara Journalists’ Forum President Moniruzzaman Sheikh Jewel.

The speakers noted that government initiatives alone are insufficient to ensure child welfare; a coordinated and responsible approach involving families, educational institutions, society, and all relevant organizations is essential. They particularly emphasized taking effective measures to protect the rights of at-risk and underprivileged children while ensuring their education and safety.

Representatives from the Upazila administration, health, education, and social services departments, as well as members of the Child Welfare Board and various public and private agencies, attended the meeting.

At the conclusion of the discussion, various plans were adopted to ensure the overall well-being, protection, and rights of children in the Upazila. Emphasis was also placed on the prompt identification of issues affecting children and the provision of necessary support and effective measures through the relevant departments.