Int'l Women's Day today

International Women's Day (IWD) will be celebrated in the country as elsewhere in the world today (Friday), aiming to promote and ensure the rights of women, reports UNB. This year the theme of the day in Bangladesh is: 'Women's right to information; commitment to build up a digital Bangladesh'. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a message on this occasion with a call to end violence against women. In Bangladesh, various organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day. President M Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia issued separate messages on this occassion. In her message, PM Sheikh Hasina said, "Women would be conscious about realising their rights through knowing information. They would be able to ensure their participation in the mainstream of national development." Opposition leader Khaleda Zia said, "Women's participation in all aspects of state and society should be ensured to build up Bangladesh as a happy, rich and self-reliant country." She urged all to work sincerely for the development and welfare of women.