The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a press conference expressed grief at the Government decision to suspend the process of implementing the Women Development Policy (WDP) 'under pressure of fundamentalist groups' and demanded equal rights for women in every sphere.

The press briefing was organised by Karmojobi Nari (KN), a working women's platform, at its central office yesterday.

The Constitution of Bangladesh preserves equal rights for the women, but the ill-motivated group were bent upon turning the country into a communal state, said Shirin Akthar, President of KN, while addressing the press conference.

The contribution of women in country's socio-economic development had always been praiseworthy. But the fundamentalists group were engaged in a conspiracy to pull back the country keeping the women in the dark, she added.

The national economy would never achieve sustainable development under the pressure of Free Market Economy, as it directly interferes with the country's internal policy. So the Government should implement WDP immediately to empower the women, so that they can play their due role in the country's economic development to face the challenges of the 21st century, she said.

The leaders of the KN informed the journalists that they were going to hold a National Conference with some 3,000 councillors at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre on April 30. A call for a tough movement for the implementation of the WDP was likely to be made at the conference.

Former Chief Justice and Chief Adviser Mohammad Habibur Rahman will be present as chief guest where Rasheda K Chowdhury, Adviser for the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Adviser for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yengaviorg Stofring, Ambassador of Norway to Bangladesh will be present as special guest at the grand Conference.

Sharmin Kabir, General Secretary, Gulshan Manju, Vice-President, Khaleda Akhtar, member of the executive committee, also spoke to the press.