Ministry of Women and Children Affairs
| নারী ও শিশু বিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয় | |
| Ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 11 December 1978 [1] |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Bangladesh |
| Headquarters | Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka[2] |
| Annual budget | ৳5222 crore (US$430 million) (2024-2025) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Ministry executives |
|
| Child agencies | |
| Website | mowca |
The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (Bengali: নারী ও শিশু বিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয়; nɑˈri ō śiśu biṣaẏaka mantraṇālaẏa) is a government ministry of Bangladesh responsible for the formulation of policies that promotes the institutionalization and development of women and children.[3]
In December 2025, the interim government of Bangladesh announced a change to the Bengali name of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, shifting it from Mahila O Shishu Bishoyok Montronaloy to Nari O Shishu Bishoyok Montronaloy.[4]
Under this ministry, the Directorate of Women Affairs, National Women's Organization, Joyeeta Foundation, Bangladesh Shishu Academy and the DNA Laboratory Management Directorate, which are responsible for development of women and children as well as overseeing women's empowerment, equality, protection and protection of rights.
Ministers
- † Died in office
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | |||||||
| Tariqul Islam তরিকুল ইসলাম (1946–2018) MP for Jessore-3 (State Minister, M/C until 19 Sep 1991) |
20 March 1991 | 14 August 1993 | 2 years, 147 days | Bangladesh Nationalist Party | Khaleda I | Khaleda Zia | |||
| Sarwari Rahman সারওয়ারী রহমান MP for Reserved Women's Seat (State Minister, M/C) |
14 August 1993 | 19 March 1996 | 2 years, 229 days | ||||||
| 19 March 1996 | 30 March 1996 | Khaleda II | |||||||
| Najma Chowdhury নাজমা চৌধুরী (1942–2021) (Adviser) |
31 March 1996 | 23 June 1996 | 84 days | Independent | Habibur | Habibur Rahman | |||
| Mozammel Hossain মোজাম্মেল হোসেন (1940–2020) MP for Bagerhat-4 (State Minister, M/C) |
23 June 1996 | 24 December 1998 | 2 years, 184 days | Awami League | Hasina I | Sheikh Hasina | |||
| Zinnatunnessa Talukdar জিন্নাতুন্নেসা তালুকদার (1947–2023) MP for Reserved Women's Seat-6 (State Minister, M/C) |
24 December 1998 | 15 July 2001 | 2 years, 203 days | ||||||
| Rokia Afzal Rahman রোকিয়া আফজাল রহমান (1941–2023) (Adviser) |
15 July 2001 | 10 October 2001 | 87 days | Independent | Latifur | Latifur Rahman | |||
| Khurshid Jahan খুরশিদ জাহান (1939–2006) MP for Dinajpur-3 |
11 October 2001 | 14 June 2006[†] | 4 years, 246 days | Bangladesh Nationalist Party | Khaleda III | Khaleda Zia | |||
| Alamgir Kabir আলমগীর কবির (born 1948) MP for Naogaon-6 (State Minister, M/C) |
14 June 2006 | 29 October 2006 | 137 days | ||||||
| Yasmeen Murshed ইয়াসমিন মোর্শেদ (1945–2025) (Adviser) |
26 October 2006 | 11 January 2007 | 77 days | Independent | Iajuddin | Iajuddin Ahmed | |||
| Geetiara Safya Chowdhury গীতিআরা সাফিয়া চৌধুরী (Adviser) |
12 January 2007 | 8 January 2008 | 361 days | Fakhruddin | Fakhruddin Ahmed | ||||
| Rasheda K Chowdhury রাশেদা কে চৌধূরী (born 1951) (Adviser) |
9 January 2008 | 6 January 2009 | 363 days | ||||||
| Sheikh Hasina শেখ হাসিনা (born 1947) MP for Gopalganj-3 (Prime Minister) |
6 January 2009 | 31 July 2009 | 206 days | Awami League | Hasina II | Sheikh Hasina | |||
| Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury শিরীন শারমিন চৌধুরী (born 1966) MP for Reserved Women's Seat-31 (State Minister, M/C) |
31 July 2009 | 30 April 2013 | 3 years, 273 days | ||||||
| Sheikh Hasina শেখ হাসিনা (born 1947) MP for Gopalganj-3 (Prime Minister) |
30 April 2013 | 2 June 2013 | 33 days | ||||||
| Meher Afroz Chumki মেহের আফরোজ চুমকি (born 1959) MP for Gazipur-5 (State Minister, M/C) |
2 June 2013 | 21 November 2013 | 172 days | ||||||
| Salma Islam সালমা ইসলাম (born 1955) MP for Reserved Women's Seat-45 (State Minister, M/C) |
21 November 2013 | 12 January 2014 | 52 days | Jatiya Party (Ershad) | |||||
| Meher Afroz Chumki মেহের আফরোজ চুমকি (born 1959) MP for Gazipur-5 (State Minister, M/C) |
12 January 2014 | 7 January 2019 | 4 years, 360 days | Awami League | Hasina III | ||||
| Sheikh Hasina শেখ হাসিনা (born 1947) MP for Gopalganj-3 (Prime Minister) |
7 January 2019 | 11 January 2024 | 5 years, 4 days | Hasina IV | |||||
| Simeen Hussain Rimi সিমিন হোসেন রিমি (born 1961) MP for Gazipur-4 (State Minister, M/C) |
11 January 2024 | 6 August 2024 | 208 days | Hasina V | |||||
| Muhammad Yunus মূহাম্মদ ইউনূস (born 1940) (Chief Adviser) |
9 August 2024 | 22 August 2024 | 13 days | Independent | Yunus | Muhammad Yunus | |||
| Sharmeen Murshid শারমিন মুরশিদ (born 1968) (Adviser) |
22 August 2024 | 17 February 2026 | 1 year, 179 days | ||||||
| A. Z. M. Zahid Hossain এ. জেড. এম. জাহিদ হোসেন (born 1960) MP for Dinajpur-6 |
17 February 2026 | Incumbent | 37 days | Bangladesh Nationalist Party | Tarique | Tarique Rahman | |||
Directorates
- Department of Women Affairs
- Jatiya Mohila Songstha
- Bangladesh Shishu Academy
- Joyeeta Foundation
- Directorate of DNA Laboratory Management
References
- ^ https://dailyinqilab.com/bangladesh/news/700231
- ^ "List of Ministries and Divisions".
- ^ "Ministry of Women and Children Affairs". MOWCA. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ "Name of women and children affairs ministry changed". Daily Sun. 09 December 2025.
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