The International Women’s Day was observed yesterday across the country like elsewhere in the globe with a call to uphold the right and dignity of the women in all spheres in the society.Different socio-political and cultural organizations, including Bangladesher Workers Party, National Garment Workers Federation, Jatiya Sramik Federation, Bangladesh Nari-Mukit Kendra and Jahangirnagar University took up various programmes marking the day.Calling the women to be more conscious and organized, Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon said “the women should to be more conscious and organized for empowerment and to get rid of exploitation and repression”.Menon who also Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister, however, underscored the need for combined struggle of man and women for building a society-based on equality.The participation of women alongside the man is indispensible to ensure the development and progress of the country, said local government division secretary Abdul Maleque in a discussion at LGED auditorium here.Even the equality of men and women in the society is ‘visible’ in some extent, but in real sense there is a big gap between the equality, said Dr Fazana Islam, vice-chancellor of the Jahangirnagar University, in a discussion held on the occasion. The man and women have to work together to bridge the gap in the society, said the VC.”Although the women are contributing in the society through her merit and effort, but nevertheless they are suffering from insecurity in every moment”, said Morzina Khatun, general secretary of the central committee of Bangladesh Narimukti Kendra following a rally and procession held at Milon Chattar of the Dhaka University yesterday morning. Noted women leader and executive director of Nari Unnayan Shakti (NUS) Dr Afrojza Parvin urged the government to resist violence on women and take necessary steps to empower the women through education and livelihood training programmes.The women leader called the people to come forward together aiming to reduce discrimination and violence against women in the society.Besides, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) jointly organized a discussion to mark the day. DUJ and BFUJ leaders including Prime Minister’s Information Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were also spoke on the occasion.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended as the chief guest in a discussion to mark the day organized by the Women and Child Affairs Ministry at city’s Bangabandhu International Conference centre yesterday morning.Women Architects Engineers Planners Association (WAEPA), Bangladesh and Mukta Akas jointly organized a seminar in the city on “Development and Challenges of Women Technical Professionals of Bangladesh”.The seminar was attended by Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain as the chief guest.The central committee of the Jatiya Sramik Federation will organize a discussion at Shaheed Rasel Manch at Topkhana Road on Wednesday marking the 106th anniversary of the International Women’s Day.Workers Party President and Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon will attend the discussion as the chief guest.
