If the BNP comes to power, the scope of free education in the country will be expanded and free education for girls up to the postgraduate level will be ensured, said Zubaida Rahman, the wife of BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman. She made the remarks at a discussion and tea gathering on women, education, health, and social services held at Gulshan Society Lake Park in the capital. She said that women constitute 51 percent of the country’s population, and without their active participation, national development cannot be complete. At this crucial time for the country, she called for collective efforts to improve women’s education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Speaking about the health sector, she noted that many mothers lose their lives during childbirth due to a lack of proper medical care, and said plans are in place to ensure safe childbirth facilities at health complexes in every upazila, with special attention to comprehensive healthcare for mothers and children. Addressing women’s safety and working conditions, she said working women and female students face various forms of harassment on a regular basis, and many women cannot move freely due to insecurity, while female garment workers also face safety concerns during night shifts. She said steps would be taken to improve these conditions. She further announced that six months of fully paid maternity leave would be ensured, along with safe housing, transportation, and the establishment of daycare centers at workplaces so that mothers can work with peace of mind. Referring to elderly women, she said many are neglected even by their own families, and the effective implementation of laws ensuring parental support would be guaranteed. Outlining plans to support women, she said a women’s support cell would be established, financial and skill development assistance would be provided to female entrepreneurs, and employment opportunities for women in the informal sector would be expanded. She added that these issues could only be resolved through well-planned political initiatives. Speakers at the event also highlighted problems related to the environment, traffic congestion, and transportation in their areas, and she said specific solutions to these issues have been included in the BNP’s election manifesto.