Bangladesh
Meeting UN Under Secretary General meets Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury
Dhaka, June 24: United Nations Under-Secretary General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance Catherine Pollard paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury at her office on Saturday. During the meeting, they discussed in detail about women's empowerment, gender equality, Rohingya issue, parliamentary session, participation of women in peace missions.
Speaker Dr. Shireen Sharmin Chowdhury said that the constitution of Bangladesh mentions the equal rights of men and women. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has achieved commendable progress in empowering women and ensuring gender equality.
She said that through Sheikh Hasina's Special Asharyan Project, a house is being provided in the joint name of both the husband and wife of a family, as a result of which the rights of women are protected.
The Speaker said that the Prime Minister is providing cash allowance for pregnant and lactating mothers. She has also arranged widow allowance, old age allowance, disability allowance etc. under the social security net which is also helping to reduce the extreme poverty rate of the country. Referring to her participation in the first meeting of women peacekeeping, the speaker said, Bangladeshi women have been working with skill and reputation in UN peacekeeping missions. She expressed hope that this trend will continue in the future.
The speaker said that currently Rohingya problem is one of the most important problems in Bangladesh. The number of Rohingyas has increased even more than the population of Cox's Bazar, the main tourist destination of Bangladesh. He said that this problem can be solved easily only through political will.
Under Secretary General Pollard acknowledged Bangladesh's longstanding and substantial contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. She praised Bangladesh's success in empowering women. At this time, Ms. Pollard praised the active role of Bangladesh in the peacekeeping operations by pointing out that the ongoing UN peacekeeping operations are becoming increasingly complex and expensive unlike the peacekeeping operations of the past.
