The Asian Forum of Parliament on Population and Development (AFPPD) has highly praised Bangladesh’s impressive success in the empowerment of women and their great contribution to the country’s socioeconomic development.
The appreciation came at the 11th Women Ministers and Members of Parliament Conference held in Thailand. The Thai National Legislative Assembly organized the two-day conference that ended in Bangkok on Saturday.
A total of 60 ministers and members of parliament from 28 Asian and Asia Pacific countries took part in the conference, according to a message received in Dhaka on Sunday.
A three-member team comprising the members of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Finance Forhad Hossain, MP, and Advocate Umme Kulsum, MP, represented Bangladesh at the conference.
Speaking at the conference, Jetn Sirathranont, Secretary General of AFPPD, said progress of the world’s economy depends on the development of women in Asia and Asia Pacific countries as 60 percent women of the globe are living in the regions.
“Bangladesh and some other Asian countries are doing well in terms of the economic development of women,” she said.
Forhad Hossain highlighted the initiatives of the government for increasing women participation in socioeconomic and political arena.
In this regard, he mentioned that the country’s women are now in very high position in all sectors like politics, administration, judiciary, education as well as in the armed forces and the law-enforcement agencies.
He said 30 percent seats in the local government bodies like union parishad, upazila parishad, municipality and city corporations have been kept reserved for women.
Forhad Hossain also said that Bangladesh has reserved 20 percent seat for women in national parliament and excluding quota, women are also being directly elected as members of parliament.
“Bangladesh has 21 directly elected and 50 reserved seats members of parliament. From this point of view, Bangladesh is ahead of India and Pakistan,” he said.
Forhad Hossain said the government has already taken various initiatives for ensuring safe workplace for women, increasing women’s wage, providing training and constructing hostels for the RMG female workers.
