Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday shared an intimate personal story involving Fatema Begum, a long-serving domestic worker for his late mother Khaleda Zia, describing her as a member of their family while calling for a more accountable healthcare system.

Addressing the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers (UHFPO) Conference 2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium, the Prime Minister said, “Many of you may be familiar with a name — Fatema. This woman was also in jail with my mother when she was ill. She has been with her for a long time, for many years, and has now become a member of our family.”

The Prime Minister used a recent medical emergency involving Fatema’s relative to highlight systemic gaps in rural healthcare.

He shared that a relative of Fatema recently faced delivery complications at her home in Barishal and was taken to a local hospital.

“After being taken to the Barishal hospital, doctors mentioned various complications and immediately decided to refer her to Dhaka,” he said.

Tarique Rahman noted he later learned from his wife that even basic treatment could not be provided at the local level.

“They sent her to Dhaka right away. Fatema informed my wife and she spoke to a few people. As a result, her relative managed to receive better treatment,” he added.

However, the Prime Minister expressed deep concern that such specialized attention is not accessible to the general public.

“But the question is, not everyone is Fatema, and not everyone is related to her. Because of that connection, my wife came to know about the matter and took care of it. The baby was born, though unwell, but the situation was somehow managed,” he remarked.

The Premier suggested that many such complications could be avoided through better local care, stating, “If those on duty had been a bit more careful and caring, many of the problems could have been avoided—if not all, at least a significant number.”

Urging healthcare professionals to serve with greater responsibility and compassion, he said, “As a citizen of this country, I request you to support us and support the government so that no one needs to depend on personal connections like Fatema’s case. Every person should be able to receive at least basic healthcare services.”

The Prime Minister concluded by calling for a more humane and accountable healthcare system, urging all stakeholders to work together to ensure fair and effective service delivery across the country.

During the conference, organized by the Health Services Division, the Prime Minister also handed out awards to best-performing officers in six categories before an audience of over 500 UHFPOs from across the nation.

With Inputs from UNB