Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday alleged that it was the male-dominated society that had tried to implement the much-talked-about ‘minus-two’ formula, excluding Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia from politics during the last caretaker government (2007-08).
The Prime Minister came up with the allegation while delivering her speech at a function marking the International Women’s Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Sheikh Hasina said now the number of female political leaders at the top has marked a rise as the ruling party chief is a woman and the leader of the opposition is also a woman apart from the female leader of another political party.
“That demonstrates that the efforts of the ‘male-dominated society’ have failed. What will they call it now? Instead of two, we’re now three,” she wondered.
Hasina has called upon all to vow afresh to establish an equality-based world where equal rights, honour and dignity of women would be enhanced.
Mentioning that the country’s more than half of the population are women, the Prime Minister said achieving the desired socioeconomic progress is impossible pushing the women away from the development process.
In this connection, she called upon both men and women to work together for building poverty- and illiteracy-free Bangladesh through ensuring women empowerment, equal rights, equal opportunities and their involvement in the mainstream national development.
Hasina urged the country’s womenfolk to be well-educated and establish themselves as equally as their male counterparts are in society saying they will have to build their own fortune as no one will come forward to help change their fate.
She mentioned that Bangladesh has been acclaimed across the world as a model when it comes to women empowerment and development, and said the credit of such achievement should go to those women who established rights and dignity breaking the socioeconomic and political shackles.
Sheikh Hasina also recognised the role of men in this regard saying they worked alongside with their female counterparts as co-fighters rising above the patriarchy.
Expressing her sorrow over the ill-efforts of a section of society to keep the women confined to the four walls of home, the Prime Minister said they want to push the womenfolk out of rights of education and outside jobs by misinterpreting the religion. “This section is doing these things when our mothers and sisters are playing a laudable role in their development and political empowerment,” she said.
Hasina urged people to create social awareness to stop falsehood in the name of religion to hold women hostage, and propaganda against women by reciting in the name of religion.
She explained that it is the religion Islam that has ensured the dignity of women and recognised their right to education as well as their right to property. “Many female Sahabas, including Bibi Khadiza, had engaged in business.”
Mentioning the women are carrying out heir three-dimensional duties worldwide, the Prime Minister said they are now efficiently performing professional, family and household works as well as social participatory activities.
“Particularly women in Bangladesh have advanced themselves towards top most position while some of them alongside men have reached the summit of the mountain Everest,” she mentioned.
Hasina went on: “The position of our women as Justice of the Supreme Court, at the highest post of the administration, police and Army as well as their representative works abroad are the reflection of her government’s continuous measures in women empowerment.”
The Prime Minister further said her government has increased reserved seats in the parliament for women from 45 to 50 while at Union, Upazila and Municipality to one-third of the posts introducing the direct election system.
In this connection, she said, it was the Awami League government that introduced recruitment of female officers to the Army in 2000 while a female Justice was appointed during 1996-2001 tenure of her government.
Besides, a female has got the charge of vice chancellor in a public university for the first time in Bangladesh history, she said.
Sheikh Hasina also described steps of her government for the welfare of poor women and said gender sensitive budget reports have been formulated in 40 ministries for the 2013-14 fiscal to specifically ensure women participation in various programmes of the government.
The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2010 was passed in Parliament as per her party’s 2008 election commitment while National Women Development Policy 2011 has been formulated to ensure women empowerment, equal rights and protection as well as to create opportunities for them, she added.
Besides, Mobile Court Act-2009 has been formulated to prevent Eve-teasing while inclusion of mother’s name in the passport has been made compulsory and determination of citizenship would be on the basis of mother’s citizenship as per the Citizenship (Amendment) Act-2009, she said.
The Prime Minister said various allowances are being provided to them creating social safety net while training opportunities have been created at Fazilatunnesa Mujib Training Centre to develop efficiency of women on garments, mobile servicing, tailoring, block-boutique, beautification and basic computers.
All these programmes are helping them to be self-employed and thereby self-dependent economically, she said.
Earlier, a documentary highlighting government’s programmes for the development of women and contribution of our women to build an independent Bangladesh was presented.
Country Representative of the UN Women Bangladesh Christine Susan Hunter also spoke while Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Tariq-ul Islam delivered the welcome address.
State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki presided over the programme.
The government has chosen ‘Equality for women is progress for all’ as this year’s theme of the day.
Source: UNBConnect
That the “minus- two” formula was correct has now been proved beyond any doubt. Thanks to the performance of these two ladies in leading the country of 160m since then. Unfortunately, the idea was not persued seriously and it’s about time these ladies get back to where they actually belong – THE KITCHEN – if there is to be anything called an independent Bangladesh.