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BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today called on leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal to highlight government programmes aimed at educating women and helping them become financially self-reliant.
He made the call while speaking at a brief rally held at Nayapaltan in the capital to inaugurate a colourful procession marking the 48th founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal.
The procession began in front of the BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan, passed through Nightingale intersection and returned to the party office.
Rizvi, who is also the political adviser to the prime minister, said Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal had reached its present position through immense hardship and struggle.
He said the organisation’s leaders at the district, metropolitan and central levels were capable and competent.
“Women are equally capable of running the state or any institution,” he said.
“As the BNP is in power, people can now speak and move without any hindrance. In the past, many female leaders, including Afroza Abbas and Sultana Ahmed, were imprisoned, placed on remand and subjected to torture,” he said.
Rizvi said the sacrifices of those leaders had contributed to the formation of the present government.
“Their blood and sweat contributed to the formation of the current government. So, you too are a part of this government,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s social safety-net programmes, the BNP acting secretary general described the initiative to provide Family Cards to women from poor, helpless and destitute families as a groundbreaking step towards women’s empowerment.
“You should observe the contributions the government is making for the people and social safety, and inform common people about them,” he said.
On violence against women and children, Rizvi claimed that incidents of violence and abuse had declined significantly under the present government.
“Today, we no longer see incidents where women like Nusrat or Rupa are murdered, or where events like the attack on Khadija occur. They are not subjected to such abuse, and no leaders or activists from the ruling party are involved in such misdeeds. There are no longer any reports of such incidents. This is social development,” he said.
He said Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal would work to eradicate all forms of wrongdoing, including rape, violence against women and child abuse, from society.
The government would ensure women’s civic status, right to life and legal rights, he said.
Emphasising the importance of education and financial independence, Rizvi said women must be empowered through education and made financially self-reliant.
He said former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia had made women’s education free up to the intermediate level.
“Furthermore, her eldest son, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has pledged to make girls’ education free up to the degree and honours levels,” he said.
Describing the pledge as a public-interest initiative and a step towards women’s empowerment, Rizvi urged the organisation’s leaders and activists to take the message to the people.
“It is your responsibility to explain and disseminate Tarique Rahman’s people-friendly and women’s empowerment programmes to the people. Just as Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal took to the streets in the past, ignoring oppression, false cases, remand and imprisonment, you must work with the same spirit to implement these programmes. This is your primary responsibility,” he said.
Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal President Afroza Abbas and General Secretary Sultana Ahmed, along with leaders and activists from different levels of the organisation, were present at the programme.