Girls’ higher education gets fresh policy push
Bangladesh is expanding free education opportunities for female students as part of a broader effort to narrow the persistent gender gap in higher education and create greater pathways to professional careers.
The move comes as the country builds on near gender parity in primary and secondary education while seeking to increase women’s participation in universities, technical education and skilled professions.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for women in his National Budget Speech for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
“Every citizen has the rights to education. As part of this, free education for girls has been extended up to the graduate level,” he said.
The minister also stressed the wider importance of education for national development, saying the government “believes that education is not merely a matter of acquiring knowledge; it is the most powerful instrument for shaping people and society”.
According to the Gender Budget Report FY27, female enrolment at the tertiary level currently stands at 20.81 percent, well below the 80 percent target set under the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
The report shows that female enrolment maintained a strong upward trend until 2021. Progress has since stagnated and slightly declined, widening the gender gap in tertiary education to around eight percentage points in 2024.
Bangladesh currently ranks 115th in global educational attainment, compared with Sri Lanka at 48th and Malaysia at 59th, the report said.
Socio-economic barriers continue to restrict women’s access to higher education. Early marriage remains one of the biggest challenges, with around 50 percent of women aged 20 to 24 having been married before turning 18, according to the report.
Safety concerns, early motherhood, gender-based violence and persistent stereotypes about girls’ abilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics also hinder educational advancement.
The government has identified these issues as policy priorities. Referring to social protection measures, Amir Khosru said, “efforts are also being strengthened to support social protection and prevent child marriage”, while initiatives have been taken to address existing challenges.
The government’s Election Manifesto 2026 places women’s empowerment at the centre of its development agenda and proposes several measures to help female students continue their education beyond the secondary level.
These include extending tuition-free education for women up to the postgraduate level, establishing adequate girls’ hostels for safe accommodation, installing sanitary vending machines in educational institutions and expanding female stipend programmes.
Specialised scholarships for meritorious students from rural and suburban areas have also been proposed.
The Secondary and Higher Education Division is focusing on increasing female participation in STEM and technical fields through vocational training and digital learning facilities.
Highlighting the broader policy direction, Amir Khosru said special priority had been given to “skills-based employment, the creative economy, social protection, agriculture and food security, women’s empowerment, energy security, infrastructure development”.
The government has also introduced a Tk10 lakh loan facility for students seeking higher education abroad to support third-language learning and advanced skills development.
The measures are aimed at reducing the financial, social and institutional barriers that continue to limit women’s access to higher education and professional opportunities.
As Bangladesh seeks to develop a skilled and globally competitive workforce, policymakers view greater female participation in tertiary education as an important part of the country’s long-term development strategy.
