PM for political empowerment of women
Friday, 11 December 2009
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina has underscored the need for political empowerment of the country's womenfolk for ensuring their contribution to economic activities for elevating their social dignity.
The PM said this while addressing a function organised by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs in the city Thursday on the occasion of Begum Rokeya Award Distribution Cerem-ony, reports BSS.
"The Awami League for the first time has taken steps for direct election of women in local government system aiming at ensuring their political empowerment," the PM said.
This year litterateurs Begum Razia Hossain and Begum Momtaz Hossain received the prestigious Begum Rokeya Award-2009 for their outstanding life-long contribution towards development of the womenfolk in the country.
The PM said her government will take steps to reintroduce the "Women Development Policy" formulated during the previous Awami League government for establishing equal rights of women and ensuring their empowerment.
In this context, the PM referred to various initiatives of her government including induction of maximum number of females in the Cabinet for the first time in Bangladesh's history.
"Apart from this, we have a plan for electing Speaker in the Jatiya Sangsad from women members of parliament in future," the PM added.
Referring to atrocities on women, she said all including the male counterparts have to come forward to stop violence against women along with raising social awareness about the menace that still exists in the country.
In this connection, the PM said the mass media could play a vital role to stop violence against women.
Describing education, empowerment and self-dependence as the pre-requisites for overall development, the PM said her government attaches utmost priority to female education along with their socio-economic development.
"We have a plan to provide free education up to class-XII to boy and girl students to achieve this end," the PM pointed out.
Paying rich tribute to the memory of Begum Rokeya, the pioneer of women education, the PM said she (Begum Rokeya) has showed light of education to the country's womenfolk who were lagging behind in education 100 years back when the women were plunged into superstition and illiteracy.
Chaired by State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry Begum Rokeya Sultana gave the address of welcome.
Ministers, advisers to the PM, diplomats, litterateurs and government officials were present on the occasion.
The PM said this while addressing a function organised by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs in the city Thursday on the occasion of Begum Rokeya Award Distribution Cerem-ony, reports BSS.
"The Awami League for the first time has taken steps for direct election of women in local government system aiming at ensuring their political empowerment," the PM said.
This year litterateurs Begum Razia Hossain and Begum Momtaz Hossain received the prestigious Begum Rokeya Award-2009 for their outstanding life-long contribution towards development of the womenfolk in the country.
The PM said her government will take steps to reintroduce the "Women Development Policy" formulated during the previous Awami League government for establishing equal rights of women and ensuring their empowerment.
In this context, the PM referred to various initiatives of her government including induction of maximum number of females in the Cabinet for the first time in Bangladesh's history.
"Apart from this, we have a plan for electing Speaker in the Jatiya Sangsad from women members of parliament in future," the PM added.
Referring to atrocities on women, she said all including the male counterparts have to come forward to stop violence against women along with raising social awareness about the menace that still exists in the country.
In this connection, the PM said the mass media could play a vital role to stop violence against women.
Describing education, empowerment and self-dependence as the pre-requisites for overall development, the PM said her government attaches utmost priority to female education along with their socio-economic development.
"We have a plan to provide free education up to class-XII to boy and girl students to achieve this end," the PM pointed out.
Paying rich tribute to the memory of Begum Rokeya, the pioneer of women education, the PM said she (Begum Rokeya) has showed light of education to the country's womenfolk who were lagging behind in education 100 years back when the women were plunged into superstition and illiteracy.
Chaired by State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry Begum Rokeya Sultana gave the address of welcome.
Ministers, advisers to the PM, diplomats, litterateurs and government officials were present on the occasion.