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Tide turned

With little help, group of women learn to overcome odds to make a living

MAMUN-UR-RASHID with RIFAT MUNIM
Bipasha Akhtar, 22, has never felt more empowered in her life.
After she was married off at 12 and forced to get a divorce at 19, she thought twilight descended on her life way too early.
Extreme mental torture, which had preceded her divorce due to her father's failure to provide a dowry, continued even after as her four-year-old son went into the father's custody.
Bipasha, however, refused to give in. After completing her three-month training in driving at an institute in Bogra last month, she is now determined to turn the tide.
"After my divorce, I realised why women need to be self-reliant. But it is not easy to achieve independence because there are only a few jobs available for women," said Bipasha.
It was a tough choice to make due to the social stigma attached to women taking up a profession usually pursued by men.
" First I want to seek an easy term loan to buy a CNG-run three wheeler. Then I want to start afresh as a CNG driver so that none can neglect me. If I fail to secure a loan, I'll take a job at a renowned company," she said with a brightened face.
Bipasha received the training under a new programme which trained 10 women as driver and 10 SEE PAGE 10 COL 5FROM PAGE 1
others as auto mechanic.
Of the 20 trainees under this programme, 13 are divorced, looking to stand on their own feet.
Her fellow trainees, therefore, are equally enthused about their future.
"I want to show the world that women too can have a career," said Rajena Begum, 29, another divorcee who trained as an auto mechanic.
Their training was provided by Shariakandi Ma Fatema Training and Development Complex in the Dhap area under Shariakandi upazila, an institute under the Ministry of Women and Children affairs.
The complex trains underprivileged women in various technical skills such as tailoring, basic computer skills, embroidery, dairy and poultry prod-
ucts, etc. so as to enable them to find employment side by side with men.
UCEP, a local NGO, provides the complex with necessary technical support to carry out these programmes.
Shahidul Islam, district women affairs officer (DWAO) and also the administrator of the complex, said 110 more women will be trained under this programme by next year.
Bangladesh Bank has already asked all banks to provide easy-term loan to the trainees so that they can start a garage or buy a CNG-run autorickshaw, added Shahidul.
The 10 auto mechanics will be provided jobs soon by Pran Group at a reasonable salary while Runner Group, Atlas Group and a few others have already showed interest to hire them, said Prottay Hasan, theUNO ofShariakandi.