Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat:

After its 50 years of independence, Bangladesh is on the way to be a developed and prosperous nation. Our pace on the development highway is now unstoppable, overcoming the stigma of a ‘bottomless basket’.

Under the strong leadership of the Jewel of the Nation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the worthy daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, incredible changes have taken place in the country’s economic, social, political, and cultural spheres.

In this changing Bangladesh, the empowerment of women has also taken place unquestionably. Even a few decades ago, the women, who were under virtual house arrest, are now significant controllers of the economy and politics.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s development ideas cover a large part of women’s emancipation and women’s empowerment. To achieve this, she has emphasized the expansion of women’s education from the very beginning. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) monthly bulletin in August last year, the literacy rate of people over 15 years of age in the country is 75.6 per cent. The literacy rate of women of this age is 73 per cent.

According to the World Economic Forum, Bangladesh ranks first in South Asia in terms of gender equality. The index is based on women’s participation in the economy, education rates, improving health and political empowerment. It shows how the government’s pragmatic initiatives are contributing to the multifaceted advancement of women across the country.

The latest labour survey suggests, about 38 per cent of the country’s working population is women. The majority of working women are employed in the readymade garments sector and a large portion is also working in the agricultural sector.

Women make up about 46 per cent of rural agriculture and work in 16 of the 21 categories involved in agriculture. Not only in agriculture, but women living in rural areas are starting to take the role of entrepreneurs also. In this case, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is providing assistance under various security programs.

According to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the government is undertaking and implementing multidimensional projects for the empowerment of women. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary measures were unimaginable during the previous governments.

Some of the measures taken by the Awami League government for the development of rural and marginalized women can be highlighted here-

The products of 14,960 grassroots women entrepreneurs are being marketed through 180 associations under the Jayita Foundation formed for the development and empowerment of women entrepreneurs.

In order to help the underprivileged, destitute and helpless women of the women’s association registered under the Department of Women’s Affairs, financially self-sufficient, a sales and exhibition centre ‘Angana’ is being set up at the head office of the department under the revenue budget for the sale of readymade garments and products.

A total amount of 43 crore 33 lakh and 27 thousand Taka has been distributed to 35 thousand and 650 women from 2014-15 financial year to June / 2018 under microloan program for self-employment.

Under the ‘Dream Package’ program for mothers receiving maternity allowance, accommodation has been provided for 700 beneficiary mothers in 10 upazilas of 10 districts at a cost of Taka 57 crore and 50 lakh with hygienic toilet facilities.

To involve the rural poor women in income-generating activities, a grant of Tk. 39 crore 45 lakh and 15 thousand from the financial year 2014-15 to June 2018.

From 2014/15 financial year 10 thousand 743 sewing machines have been distributed among the destitute and helpless women. One crore 52 thousand Taka has been donated to 934 people from the poor and child welfare fund.

To recognize and inspire women at the grassroots level, 185 women selected at the upazila, district and divisional levels are being honoured in five categories through the ‘Jayita Anneshane Bangladesh’ program.

Four working women hostels with a total of 1,606 seats are currently operating in Dhaka city, Rajshahi, Khulna, Jessore and Chittagong also have one each for the provision of low-cost accommodation. A 12-storied 744-seat hostel has been constructed at Bara Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka to provide low-cost accommodation to women working in garments. There are also daycare centres for children.

There are a total of 43 day-care centres active for the children of working mothers. 25 are situated in Dhaka, 5 in divisional cities and 13 in other districts. There are fifteen 30-seat day-care centres in Dhaka, Chittagong, Manikganj, Gazipur and Narayanganj for the children of women working in garments.

The present government has provided training to 33 lakh 43 thousand women in various trades for the development and economic empowerment of women.

Beneficiaries of the Social Security Program have been trained on nutrition, reduction of maternal and child mortality, increase in breastfeeding rate, importance of EPI, postpartum and postpartum services and family planning and income-generating and social awareness.

The government has trained 8,000 destitute and helpless women to run their businesses with a one-time grant of 15,000 Taka. The National Women’s Training Academy under the Department of Women’s Affairs provided skills development training to a total of 1 lakh 84 thousand women and capacity building of the leaders of voluntary women’s associations registered under the department including residential and non-residential vocational training.

In addition, 52 thousand and103 women have been trained in sewing and embroidery, block-batik printing, leather industry and food preparation and processing for self-employment of under-privileged, unemployed women from January 2014 to December 2018.

Apart from the under-privileged women, the government has taken various steps for the development of women as a whole.

The participation of women in various government departments including administration has increased. According to a March 2021 census, there were 10 women out of 77 secretaries and secretary ranked officers in the country, 83 women out of 511 additional secretaries, 81 women out of 636 joint secretaries, 349 women out of 695 deputy secretaries and out of 1,549 senior assistant secretaries, 454 were women and out of 1,528 assistant secretaries, 472 were women. There were 10 women deputy commissioners in 64 districts of the country.

In 1974, seven women sub-inspectors (SI) and seven women constables were recruited to join the police force. At present, the number of women working in Bangladesh Police is more than 15 thousand. Women are also holding the posts of DIG, Additional DIG, and Superintendent of Police.

Speaking at a high-level panel discussion titled ‘Women’s Climate Leadership Event – COP 26: Women and Climate Change’ in Glasgow, Scotland last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, ‘As the main victims of climate change, women demand increased participation in tackling these risks and there should be bolder steps to empower them, especially in resilience development.’

Mentioning that the women in the world generally do not get equal rights to wealth, the Prime Minister added, ‘In many societies, they do not have the power to take decisions and they are often employed in low paid or unpaid jobs and activities. For all these reasons, women are more affected by climate change than men.’

During the discussion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina highlighted the need to ensure women leadership in the decision-making process from the parliamentary level to the grassroots level in Bangladesh. It is in fact, happening in Bangladesh.

We still have a long way to go for the ultimate freedom and empowerment of women. However, there is no possibility that Bangladesh will lose after following the vision that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given us. In addition to economic and social emancipation, we have emancipated women; Above all, Bangladesh is now fully prepared for the fight for the freedom of humanity.

The writer is the Head of the Editorial Board, newsbangla24.com