Govt to expand jobs, education, and healthcare outside Dhaka to ease pressure: PM

The government will gradually develop employment, education, and healthcare facilities across all parts of the country to reduce pressure on Dhaka, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said today (29 April).

He made the remarks during the question and answer session of the 13th national parliament this morning, in response to a supplementary question.

Comilla-9 lawmaker Md Abul Kalam, in his question, said that detailed planning and coordinated steps are essential to make Dhaka a livable and modern city. He added that since taking the oath, the prime minister has continued efforts to ease public suffering and has taken various initiatives to address urban problems in the capital.

He asked whether the government would take steps to decentralise administrative and economic activities and reduce the flow of people towards Dhaka, and if so, what those steps would be.

In response, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the issue requires a long-term approach. He noted that opportunities related to jobs, healthcare, education, and children’s schooling have become heavily concentrated in Dhaka over many years, not in a short time.

He said similar facilities have not yet been developed adequately across the country, which is why people naturally move to the capital for work, education, and medical treatment.

The prime minister said the government’s long-term goal is to gradually build these basic facilities across all regions of the country.

He added that the government is working to establish industrial zones in different areas, improve healthcare services outside Dhaka, and develop quality educational institutions for future generations.

He said if these facilities can be expanded nationwide, people will be less inclined to come to Dhaka, which will gradually help reduce pressure on the capital.