Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said that everyone should be sincere in establishing women’s respect, equal rights and equality in the society. He said political and economic empowerment of women should be ensured as a prerequisite for inclusive development.
The speaker said these things while appearing as the chief guest at the top-level round table meeting titled ‘The Role of Women in Bangladesh: Challenges and Opportunities in Public Life’ organized by the United Nations Bangladesh at a hotel in the capital on Sunday (September 24).
Gwen Lewis, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, gave a welcome speech under the chairmanship of Alexandra Berg von Lind, Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh. Rubaba Daula, Managing Director of Oracle Bangladesh, Farzana Ferdous, Senior Category Head of Unilever, Khushi Kabir, Coordinator of Navira Kari Foundation, and Shaheen Anam of Manan Nai Foundation spoke as special guests on the occasion.
Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said, to ensure the development of women, women should be given a place in the front row. Women will advance by facing all the challenges of daily life and taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the family-society-state.
He said that the government is trying to increase the number of women parliamentarians to 33 in the national parliament. Parliament currently has 50 reserved seats for women. Women can become members of parliament through direct election and reserved seats for women, which is a unique feature of this parliament.
He said that in 1972, the greatest Bengali father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman included reserved seats for women in the constitution.
The speaker said that the government is working to keep the working environment healthy and normal for working women. To ensure women’s participation in the mainstream of development, the government is working to involve women in the decision-making process including local government.
The speaker thanked the United Nations Bangladesh for organizing the round table meeting on women’s development.
The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament Syeda Zakia Noor, Senior Secretary of National Parliament Secretariat KM Abdus Salam, leading women representatives of various universities, NGOs and foundations, as well as invited guests, eminent journalists and dignitaries.
