Minus-2 formula agenda of male-dominated society: PM

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina alleged on Saturday 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), reports UNB.

The PM 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 leaders 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 PM said achieving the desired socioeconomic progress is impossible pushing the women away from the development process.

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 connection saying they worked alongside with their female counterparts as co-fighters rising above the patriarchy.

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.