Bangladesh celebrates Int'l Woman's Day, vows to strive for women's rights

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Bangladeshi government has lauded the constant sacrifices that women make everyday and pledged to continue to strive for their further empowerment.

Bangladesh has selected this year's theme of the day " Empowerment of women-development of humanity".

The day was observed in many Bangladesh cities and towns as elsewhere in the world to renew a vow for establishing the rights of women at every sphere of life in society.

Apart from the Bangladeshi government, a number of local women' s rights groups and non-governmental organizations have chalked out elaborate programs to observe the day.

Colorful processions were also organized in capital Dhaka and elsewhere. Ministers, senior government and non-government officials and women's rights activists joined the processions.

Many women in Dhaka's main International Women's Day procession were seen to display banners and placards inscribed with their demands for empowerment of women in every stage of the society.

Demanding the same, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad, a local development organization, on Sunday formed a human chain in front of the High Court in capital Dhaka.

"We're demanding just rights for women in every sphere of life, " said a Nilufar Begum, a woman activist.

"We are largely contributing to the development."

Another local organization Naripakkha organized a cultural program with the theme prevent early marriage, stop women repression.

Some organizations however arranged programs to honor talented and successful women in their respective fields.

The United Nations has been celebrating International Women's Day on March 8 every year since 1975.

On the eve of the day, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a messaged urged all to work together for ensuring women empowerment, their equal rights and opportunity.

She said her government has attached priority for further empowering of the womenfolk, gender equality.

"We've already formulated our National Women Development Policy. Necessary laws and policies have also been made for further empowerment women and preventing violence against them," she added.

She expressed the hope that the successful participation of women in different areas including politics, judiciary, administration, education, armed forces and law enforcing agencies will hasten the country's development.

She said more and more women are now being visible in the government services.

Women participation in the Bangladeshi government services has reportedly increased by 30 percent in the past five years.

According to statistics from Public Administration Ministry, the number of women job holders stood at 2,88,804 in 2014 while the figure was of 2,23,644 in 2009. Endi