Holistic approach needed
Bangladesh has made many achievements in empowering women but still there remain concerns in some areas, particularly violence against women, which need to be addressed, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday.
There are many laws and policies to stop violence against women but those are not being implemented properly, said the speakers stressing the need for a holistic approach, involving all steckholders, and reformation of several laws especially discriminatory family laws.
The roundtable titled “End Violence against Women and Girls: 16 Days of Activism against GBV” was jointly organised by The Daily Star and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Lori Kato, deputy representative of UNFPA in Bangladesh, mentioned, “Bangladesh is ranked as the worst country in Asia and pacific in terms of child marriage.”
Syed Shahnoor Wahid, special supplements editor of The Daily Star, moderated the event where Prof SM Wahiduzzaman, director (college and admin) of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Kamrun Nahar of Naripokkho, Shamima Parvin of UNFPA, and Ayesha Khanam, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, also spoke.
Meanwhile in a meeting in Chittagong Press Club, speakers said it is possible to reduce repression on women, if police, lawyers, judges and other people work with compassion from their respective positions.
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Bastobayan Sangstha (BMBS) and Naripokkho jointly organised the programme with support from Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).
BMBS Secretary General Advocate Sigma Huda said in many cases, police officials trick uneducated people into filing first information report in a way that would be favourable for them as well as for the accused.
However, representatives from police said it is the influential quarter that pressurises them and force them not to conduct investigation in a fair way.
Speakers also mentioned that the number of false cases of women repression is also increasing.
Supreme Court Justice Krishna Debnath, who was the chief guest, said women are being blamed for creating such situation, however, in reality men or the influential quarters are “using women for lodging false cases”.
MJF Director Rina Roy moderated the event where Naripokkho member Habibun Nesa also spoke.
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