INT’L DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN : ‘Only real democracy can give women full rights’

Rights activists and different sections of people on Wednesday said only real democracy could eliminate violence against women.
When women will get their rights as full human beings, it will bring freedom to all human beings, they said while observing The International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women 2015.
The day was observed on Wednesday in Bangladesh like elsewhere in the world.
Human rights organisation Odhikar organised an open discussion in the capital and programmes at 30 districts to observe the day.
The organisation’s secretary, Adilur Rahman Khan, said the society had turned violent due to absence of equality, social justice and human dignity in Bangladesh.
As a result, incidents of the like of violence against women were taking place frequently, he said.  Adilur urged women to be part of the movement to restore democracy and rule of law to secure their rights.
Adilur further alleged that in Thakurgaon and Madaripur they had been obstructed by police from holding any programme.
At the programme, speakers also said violence against women was a reflection of patriarchy in society.
The discussion was attended, among others, by Odhikar gender expert Taskin Fahmina, BRAC University teacher Saira Rahman, journalist Kazi Jesin, Sramajibi Nari Maitree convener Bonni Shikha Jameli, and advocate Asaduzzaman.
Dhaka University women and gender studies department and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad jointly organised a rally and seminar titled ‘We want educational institutions free from sexual harassment, repression and all violence’ at DU campus to mark the day.
While presiding over the seminar, DU vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique said people need to revive their conscience to stop violence against women.
BMP president Ayesha Khanam said women’s freedom was freedom of all human beings.
Women and gender studies department chairperson Syed Sheikh Imtiaz said people had to stand against erosion of social values.
The seminar was attended, among others, by BMP lawyer Dipti Rani Shikder and member Halima-Tuz-Sadia and the students of the department.
BMP also distributed leaflets and collected signatures to raise awareness.
Nari Pakhha organised a programme at Rabindra Sarabar to mark the day.
They urged all people to come forward to eliminate violence against women.
The programme was attended, among others, by the organsition member Ferdousi Akhter and Borna Chowdhury.

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