The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Adviser for Finance Dr A B Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday said the government is planning to recruit 50,000 primary school teachers this year and 60 percent of them would be women.

Speaking as the chief guest at the lunching of a skill development project for women entrepreneurs titled 'Design on diversification' at a city hotel, the finance adviser said the government is relentlessly working for the emancipation of women.

He said women make up half of the country's population and the dream of a poverty free nation cannot be achieved without their socio-economic empowerment. "We have to travel a long way to achieve that goal and the women should be on board the train."

Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Ambassador Stefan Frowein, British Deputy High Commissioner Duncan Norman and Project Director Jonathan Webber also spoke on the occasion. President of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) Salima Ahmed presented the key-note.

The project was launched jointly by Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Silk Association of Nepal and the BWCCI. The aim of the project is to promote skills of the country's women entrepreneurs in promoting design, colours and other expressions of products to upgrade their quality to make them attractive to buyers in the global market.

The project is being implemented at a cost of 450,000 euros covering activities over two years. Stefan Frowein said the European Union would continue to provide technical assistance to the country's women entrepreneurs with a view to promoting skills and their access to global market.