Bangladesh: 100 seats to be reserved for women in parliament
Source:
IANS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the number of seats reserved for women in Bangladesh parliament would be raised from 45 at present.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the International Women’s Day at Osmani Memorial Hall here, she said: “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.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will repeal all the laws that discriminate against women, the Daily Star reported.
“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.
“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-government levels,” Hasina said.
She spoke of women’s role during the Liberation War in 1971. “Some 200,000 women were oppressed by the Pakistani army and their collaborators.”
09 March 2009
Source: IANS
