Bangladesh revives women’s development policy

DHAKA - The Bangladesh government has announced the revival of a women’s development policy to mark International Women’s Day Monday while activists pledged to focus on acid attacks on women.

State Minister for Women and Children Shirin Shjarmin Chowdhury said the National Women’s Development Policy-1997 would be broad-based and reintroduced to include rights of tribal women, those who are physically and mentally challenged and those hit by climate change.

We will also include a provision to ensure women’s rights to information, The Daily Star quoted her as saying Monday.

President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition in parliament Khaleda Zia gave separate messages on the occasion.

Central Shaheed Minar, the national memorial for those who died fighting for Bengali language, became the venue of a candlelight demonstration Sunday night for artists, writers, musicians and women’s rights activists.

A speaker at the rally said that there were 490 incidents of acid throwing in 2002 and the number came down to 145 in 2009.

In reality, the rate is much higher, said Monira Rahman, executive director of Acid Survivors’ Foundation (ASF).

Singer Shuvro Dev said: As a man, I am ashamed that in over 95 percent cases it is a man who throws acid at women. It really hurts me. I swear to work so that no woman is burnt by acid anymore.

Magician Jewel Aich said he didn’t believe “the acid throwers are men. They are cowards and worse than the beasts. We have to resist them”.

“Women’s movement is part of a democratic movement in the sub-continent, including Bangladesh,” said Ayesha Khanam, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.