Leaders of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote at a roundtable yesterday called on the government 'to announce its stand on the National Women Development Policy and allocate adequate budget for its implementation.

This policy has been changed three times in the last 11 years, they said, adding that even the newly formulated National Women Development Policy lacks specific guidelines on the issues of women's participation’ itt politics, their constitutional rights, right to inheritance and‘women frohi minority communities.

It also does not tell anything about Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or Poverty Reduction Strategy' Paper (PRSP), though it is not possible to achieve the goals without the establishment of gender equality, they said.

"Yet, a vested quarter has been opposing the policy vehemently and pressing the government to cancel the policy in the name of religion," said Prof Sadeka Halim of sociology' department, Dhaka University'.

Bowing to the pressure of the fanatics, the government also formed a committee to review the policy in March, which is insulting not only for women but also for the entire nation, she said in her key-notepaper.

President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Ayesha Khanam said women demanded that the National Women Development Policy of 1997 be restored, but it did not happen.

She also questioned the role of those who are opposing the National Women Development Policy for the last 50 years and said that they have been using the policy as a political tool.

Formulation of the review committee is totally unethical, said other speakers.

On the one hand, the government has announced the National Women Development Policy 2008 and on the other hand, a group in the government has been opposing the policy, w'hich is totally a contradictory act and should be stopped immediately, they said.

Cultural personality Ramendu Majumder, Workers Party leader Hazera Sultana, Barrister Shirin Sharmin, Mita Haque, Tahera Begum Jolly and Shuvash Singha Roy also spoke.

. Sammilita Sangskritik Jote President' Nasiruddin Yusuff presided over the roundtable moderated by its General Secretary Golam Kuddus.