The International Women’s Day was observed on Friday across the country as elsewhere in the world with a call for building a new world with equal rights for women and men.
Different government and non-government organisations arranged various programmes on the occasion to create mass awareness to ensure dignified life for womenfolk through establishing their rights.
The theme for International Women’s Day this year was “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, which puts innovation by women and girls, for women and girls, at the heart of efforts to achieve gender equality.
Marking the International Women’s Day, Begum Badrunnesa Ahmed Trust arranged the function at International Mother Language Institute in the capital where Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury spoke as the chief guest.
The Speaker said Bangladesh has become a role model of women development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“Following the footsteps of the pioneers of women liberation, the country’s women are going forward overcoming all the obstacles,” she said, adding that women participation is visible now in the country’s all sectors.
Recalling the women’s contribution to the national development, Dr Shirin said Begum Rokeya, Sufia Kamal and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib had worked for women’s liberation and building enlightened women.
The country’s first female Deputy Leader of Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, its first women Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, first female Home Minister Sahara Khatun, first women Foreign Minister and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni and first female Major General of Bangladesh Army Dr Susane Giti were honoured at the function.
National professor Dr Anisuzzaman, Begum Badrunnesa Ahmed Trust chairman Prof Dr Nasreen Ahmad, its trustee freedom fighter Mahfuza Khanam, and Bangla Records chairman and former IG Prison Sayed Iftekhar Uddin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Bangladesh Air Force Women Welfare Association organised a programme at BAF Shaheen Hall on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
Jatiya Nari Jote arranged a discussion at Colonel Taher auditorium here where Shirin Akhter, MP, spoke.
Jatiya Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) took separate progammes marking the day. Jatiya Press Club held a view-exchange meeting at 5 pm while and DRU arranged a discussion.
In observance of the day, an exhibition of products produced by women entrepreneurs and screening of awareness documentary are being held in all district towns across the country on March 8 and 9.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and all other private television channels aired special programmes, while newspapers published supplements highlighting the significance of the day.
