The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Speakers at training workshop here on Sunday said that the development of reproductive health of women workers was profoundly related to the economic growth of Bangladesh. "Ninety percent of nearly 25 lakhs garments workers across the country are women and they are the main driving force of our economy this is why the women issue must get priority as part the social responsibility", they said.

The seminar on "Reproductive Rights, Health and Gender situation of Garments Workers in Chittagong' was jointly organized by UNFPA and BGMEA and held at Hotel Peninsula in the city yesterday. Speakers also said that the initiative that had taken by UNFPA and BGMEA for the growth of reproductive health needs more attention. Prof. Dr. Iftekharuddin Ahmed Chowdhury presented keynote paper while Representative of UNFPA in Bangladesh Mohammed Nurul Amin and Project Director Sharifuddin Ahmed Sharif attended it as chief guest and special guest respectively.

MA Salam, first vice president of BGMEA delivered the well-come speech and Mahbubul Alam, former first vice-president of BGMEA moderated the seminar. In his speech Dr. Iftekheruddin Chowdhury said that 30,549 women had received the healthcare facilities from BGMEA and UNFPA till September last. As a result, the rate of reproductive health has increased to 82 percent from 25 percent during last three years since 2003. The multidimensional pragmatic initiatives that were taken for the women is to flourish their latent strength and it these made remarkable success , they said .

Alhajj Khalilur Rahman, former first vice president of BGMEA, Ershadullah, Director of BGMEA, M Mohiuddin Chowdhury, former director of BGMEA Nasiruddin Chowdhury, professor of Chittagong University SM Monirul Hasan, Indrajeet Kundu, Journalist Hafiz Enam Emam, Ali Haider, NGO activist Shamsun Nahar Paran, Pervin Sultana Paru addressed the seminar among others.

Nurul Amin in his speech said that United Nations in cooperation with BGMEA had achieved significant success on reproductive health in last decade.

The work that had been done in this field will certainly flourish the hidden progress of Bangladesh, he added.

MA Salam said, BGMEA has taken different responsibilities of 25 lakhs workers out of social liabilities.

BGMEA not only wants to provide the proper care of reproductive health but also wants to human dignity of the impoverished and oppressed women.

Some speakers said many components are directly and indirectly involved in the development of reproductive health. How many women were employed is not the main issue rather how many women were provided security and self - confidence is praiseworthy.

The seminar was followed by a day-long policy dialogue was held in the city's Asian Hotel on reproductive health and gender issue yesterday, jointly organized by UNFPA and BGMEA. The leaders of the bothorganizations were present in the dialogue.