H.E. Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the Maldives, met with the Minister of Social and Family Development to discuss key areas of social welfare cooperation between the two countries.
The Minister briefed the High Commissioner on the Ministry’s work, including services for children with special needs, protection measures for victims of child abuse, and support for the 200–250 child-related violence cases reported monthly. He noted that one-third of women in the Maldives face social challenges and that the national divorce rate remains high. The Ministry also works closely with the Family Court and the Maldives National University on family development initiatives.
The Minister shared that the government provides MVR 3,000 to every child and MVR 5,000 to senior citizens over 65. He emphasized that the Maldives’ development is not possible without the contribution of Bangladeshi migrant workers and confirmed that the Ministry also supports migrant children whenever difficulties arise.
Both sides agreed to explore joint seminars, awareness programmes, and opportunities for collaborative initiatives. The Minister also expressed openness to inviting the High Commission to relevant programmes and to working on trilateral preventive initiatives in the future.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening social welfare cooperation and supporting the well-being of both Maldivian and Bangladeshi communities.