Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced her government's commitment to revoke discriminatory laws against women, reports bdnews24.com.
She called upon women and men to work together for establishing the rights of womenfolk.
The Prime Minister made the comment while speaking at a rally to mark "International Women's Day-2009" organised by Women and Children Affairs Ministry at Osmani Memorial Hall in the city Sunday.
"We intend to have a woman speaker in parliament in the near future," said the prime minister.
"We have undertaken a process of raising women leadership right from the grass roots," she said of her party.
Of the sacrifices made by women in Bangladesh's liberation war, the prime minister said: "Countless women took part in the Independence Struggle."
She mentioned the challenges that still faced women.
"Tragic incidents of injury and persecution of women, in connection with early marriage, dowry, trafficking and acid throwing, are still occurring everyday."
"We attempted a number of measures to redress these issues during the past Awami League government in 1996-2001," said Hasina.
"We commit ourselves again to combating inhuman treatment and persecution of women."
The audience applauded as the prime minister said women workers must be entitled to the same benefits as a male.
She said families of men and women employed by the government should be entitled to similar benefits after their death.
"I thought men would be clapping more," Hasina quipped, which prompted the male audience to clap an encore.
To guardians and parents, the prime minister said: "Don't treat your sons and daughters differently. Girls are not less worthy than boys by any standard."
"Look at us here, Bangladesh boasts its prime minister, opposition leader and deputy leader of parliament, who are all women."
"Educate your daughters properly and they will grow into similar assets for our country as our sons."
"Half of society is female. It cannot progress by maiming half its population," she said.
"The government as well as the private sectors and society at large must give priorities to women's rights, introducing equality at all levels.
"The law enforcing agencies will have to play a crucial role to end persecution. They must enforce the law sincerely and stringently to curb violence against women at any place, any time."
The Prime Minister underscored the need for political empowerment of women to increase their social dignity and ensure their role in the country's economic activities and said Awami League government has taken steps for politically empowering women section of the society by introducing direct election for women in local government bodies.
Under the system, Sheikh Hasina said, over 45,000 women got the opportunity to take part in the election. Of them 12,000 women representatives were elected, she added.
In the last general election, the Prime Minister said, we had nominated highest number of women candidates and most of them were elected.
The Prime Minister said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had ensured women rights and equality in the 1972 constitution before the recognition of women's rights by the United Nations in 1984.
She said Bangabandhu had created opportunity for women in decision-making and ensured their empowerment by creating reserve seats in parliament and quota in government jobs. She said 60 per cent quota has been reserved for women for the posts of teachers in primary schools.
International Women's Day is observed on March 8 around the globe.
Women and children affairs secretary Rokeya Sultana and head of the women affairs directorate Rawshan Ara Begum also spoke at the function.
