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100 JS reserved seats pledged for women

PM also vows to repeal all acts discriminatory against women

UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the number of reserved seats for women in parliament would be 100 from 45 at present, with provision of direct voting.
She also declared that the government will repeal all the existing laws that discriminate against wo men.
The prime minister announced her government's major plans while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the International Women's Day programme at Osmani Memorial Hall in the capital.
“We will reintroduce the National Women Development Policy adopted during the last Awami League government's tenure. We gave nomination to maximum number of women for contesting the December 29 polls," Hasina said.
"A maximum number of women have also been inducted in the cabinet We believe in political empowerment of women to ensure their social dignity and contribution to economical
activities," the premier told her audience.
In line with the constitution, the government is committed to establishing women's rights and stopping violence against them, she said.
“It is not possible to establish women's rights and stop violence against women only by enacting laws and observing women’s day. Rather there should be proper coordination at government and non-govemment levels," Hasina said.
She said the law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary will have to play their important role in this regard.
The prime minister observed that men should be conscious and active in establishing
women's rights. "Our responsibility and love towards girl children will have to be increased."
“Do not treat the male and the female child discriminatorily. Females are in no way less qualified than males. Country's prime minister, opposition leader and deputy leader of the House are all female. Give your daughter proper education, she will
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certainly become your and the country’s asset,” she advised people.
Hasina also endorsed women's contribution to advancing country's economy mentioning some 85 percent of laborers working in the garment sector are women--and the sector is earning 75 percent of the country's total export income.
PM also recalled women's role during the Liberation War in 1971 as many women took part directly in the war and some two lakh women were oppressed by the Pakistani army and their collaborators.
"I also recall with respect those women who were killed, raped and suffered intolerable repression only for voting for Awami League in 2001 parliamentary polls by the BNP-Jamaat criminals," she said in a blistering criticism.
Hasina said die AL government for the first time had arranged direct election of women in the localgovernment system and increased the number of women in the highest-level government jobs.
The AL government also
had started recruiting women as officers of the Armed Forces Division.
While listing her previous government's doings for gender parity, she said maternal leave was increased to four months.
The present government has decided that a female government service holder will get all facilities that a male counterpart gets. From now on, any foreigner who would marry any children of a Bangladeshi woman will get citizenship of Bangladesh.
End of discriminations, negligence and repression towards women and establishing equal rights for all are imperative for the country's overall sustainable development, Hasina said.
The PM also deplored that till date Bangladesh is yet to reach the desired level of women's development as early marriage, dowry, woman and child trafficking are still taking place in the country.
Women and Children Affairs Secretary Rokeya Sultana and Director General of Woman Affairs Department Rawshan Ara Begum also spoke at the programme.