Muhith for financial evaluation of housewives' contribution to families

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ADELAIDE, South Australia: Australian batsman Ricky Ponting (L) is congratulated by captain Michael Clarke (R) after scoring his 30th Test century on day 1 of the fourth cricket Test match against India here Tuesday. — AFP Photo

FE Report
Finance Minister AMA Muhith Friday put forward five suggestions, including monetisation of the services of housewives and domestic help, for women empowerment in the country.
He placed the suggestions at the inaugural session of internal annual review and planning meeting of 2nd National Council 2010 for women.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP), a women human rights organisation, organised the two-day programme at BIAM auditorium in the city chaired by its president Ayesha Khanam.
Speaking as chief guest, the minister said the services of housewives are not recognised socially in the country. "Their outstanding contributions to a family must be evaluated financially if we want to ensure women's rights," he added.
Human rights activists have been demanding such recognition by the state for the last couple of years and also requesting the government to form a committee which will set indicators to measure services of household works.
He requested the women rights' activists to include the issue of female workers' security into their proposals, as it is still a major concern.
The finance minister's three others suggestions are -- equal wages, equal inheritance rights and initiative against the religious leaders who passes fatwa (religious edict).
According to the BMP, nearly 40 incidents of fatwa have been recorded in the country in the last one year causing concern to the human rights activists at home and abroad.
BMP Ayesha Khanam sought immediate steps to withdraw the Women Development Policy (WDP)-2004 and reintroduce the WDP-97.
"This is the demand of BMP and the demands of women's human rights movement in Bangladesh," she said.
The women leaders also demanded immediate trial of the war criminals, who, they said, were against the women rights.