Staff Correspondent

Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed Saturday called for a change in the social attitude towards women to ensure their contribution to the economic development of the country.

The chief adviser addressed his remarks to a women's rally at the Osmany Memorial Auditorium in the city to mark International Women's Day.

"A new wave of women's development will only be possible if we can build a liberal and truly democratic society through a united effort," said Fakhruddin. "Let us devote our energy to building a proper socio-economic and political infrastructure that leads to a developed women's community and the economic emancipation of the country," he said.

The chief adviser said two national commissions, formed in the 1990's to strengthen local government, had recommended one quarter of the seats in direct elections be reserved for women. Later, Fakhruddin said, women members in union parishad's were elected through a direct vote.

"This not only opened the way for women's participation in the lowest tier of local government, but also created the opportunity for women to serve through grassroots institutions," he said.

The chief adviser said the committee formed by the present caretaker administration to strengthen local government bodies had recommended electing women representatives to 40 percent of the seats in all local government bodies through direct votes. "If this recommendation is implemented, women's participation at the grassroots level will increase substantially," said Fakhruddin.

The chief adviser said his administration had taken a number of steps in the last budget to promote the role of women in the mainstream of social development. Maternity allowances have been introduced for poor women to reduce mother and child mortality, and so far 45,000 mothers have been brought under the scheme, he said.

Fakhruddin added that his administration had also recently updated the national women's development policy. At present the ratio of boys to girls in primary schools is almost equal, with 44 percent of the teachers in primary schools throughout the country now women, he said.

"The participation of women in all professions including the administration, judiciary and armed forces is on the rise," he added. Adviser to the ministry of women and children affairs Rasheda K Chowdhury and the ministry's secretary Rokeya Sultana also spoke at the event.

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