DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged all to ensure the mother’s care first.

She also called for creating mass awareness of breastfeeding children and increases the rate of feeding homemade supplements instead of milk powder and tinned baby food.

The PM made the remark while addressing the inaugural of the World Breastfeeding Week-2014 at city’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the morning.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said there that the present government has taken extensive programs for development of maternal and child nutrition.

Maternity leave has been raised to six months from three-month and breastfeeding corner introduced in government and non- government offices, she added.

The PM informed working mothers are provided maternity leave with salary, adding that steps have been taken to strengthen campaigns for breastfeeding and homemade supplements.

Steps have been taken to make all hospitals and health complexes child-friendly, Sheikh Hasina said.

Due to government steps, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding increased to 64 percent from 46 percent, she added.

Among others, health minister Mohamamd Nasim other high officials of the ministry of health and family welfare, the institute of public health nutrition and Bangladesh breastfeeding foundation attended the program.

The World Breastfeeding Week 2014 is being observed across the globe from 1-7 August aiming to create awareness among people about the benefits of breastfeeding.

This year’s theme of World Breastfeeding Week is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for life!”.

BDST: 1250 HRS, AUG 06, 2014