Social crimes need psychological change Minister Says

Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain has called for community-based psychosocial initiatives and changes in social attitudes to address crime and social crises, saying law enforcement and court proceedings alone cannot deliver lasting solutions.

“Unless we thoroughly analyse the underlying social and familial causes behind crimes and ensure lasting remedies, no problem can truly be solved,” he said.

The minister made the remarks as chief guest at a national seminar organised by the Clinical Social Workers Association of Bangladesh (CSWAB) at the Alumni Association Auditorium of Dhaka University’s Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban on Sunday.

Highlighting the country’s demographic challenges, Zahid said women account for 51 per cent of the population, while 34 per cent are under the age of 18.

He stressed the need for targeted psychosocial support for these groups. He also expressed concern over the country’s child marriage rate, which he put at 51 per cent.

He said enforcement of the law alone would not eliminate the practice without changes in social attitudes and greater awareness of its harmful effects on the physical and psychological well-being of mothers and children.

The minister highlighted a shortage of trained frontline social workers and called for expanding the grassroots workforce responsible for delivering social services.

Referring to the agricultural and health sectors, he said social welfare needed a similar community-based network to ensure services reached people at the local level.