RSS

Fight for equal wages

Life is not a bed of roses for Jamfuli. Growing up in the unforgiving landscape of ‘char’, or shoal area, she had learnt to live with hardship. But life in the capital is proving to be even harder for her. “My husband left me. I have two kids, one is going school. To support my family, I have to work for eight hours at a construction site and I am paid Tk 200 to Tk 225 on a daily basis”, Jamfuli told this correspondent in Dhaka recently.

The girl who became a soldier

I don't know the English date. It was the month of Chaitra. I used to hear the sound of gunshots all around. With seven siblings, ours was a needy family. Father had died a long time ago. How old was I? 13 or 14. I used to work in other households. If I got work, I'd eat; if not, I'd have to go hungry. But there was no work in the village. Everyone was fleeing in fear of the military. It was Monday, I think, and I went out looking for work. I didn't find anything. So out of desperation, I tried to gather some kochu mukhi (edible roots) from the jungle, when two men appeared in front of me. I knew one of them. His name was Aziz Master. Aziz Master introduced me to the other man whom I didn't know. He was a freedom fighter of the East Bengal Regiment, named Habildar Muhib. He was looking for a cook for his camp. When I didn't agree to his offer, he took me to my mother. Mother didn't consent initially when she heard about the prospect of my working in a camp. After a lot of discussion, when Muhib saheb insisted that he would adopt me as a god-daughter, my mother agreed despite her unwillingness. The next day I went to the Doshghoriya freedom fighter's camp, where I started cooking.

Equality still elusive for women

Ayesha Khanam, Farida Akhtar, Salma Ali, Meher Afroze
Equality for women in all aspects of life including politics, administration, home and workplace, pay and perks, is elusive, as they are still behind in economic and political participation and opportunities, 44 years after independence of the country. The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees equal rights for both men and women in all spheres of state and public life.

Hard work to success

Young entrepreneur leads revival of country's oldest garment factory

Vidiya Amrit Khan
When she told her family that she would lead the effort to revive their family's moribund garment business six years ago, they immediately opposed as Vidiya Amrit Khan was just 28.
But after a lot of hard work Vidiya, now 34, has not only turned Desh Garments around but also emerged as an experienced business person.
Established in December 1977 at Kalurghat in Chittagong, Desh was the first export-oriented readymade garment factory in Bangladesh. It was also the single largest and most modern garment-manufacturing unit in the sub-continent.
Bangladesh's first batch of exports was produced at Desh factory set up by the industry's pioneer Noorul Quader, father of Vidiya.

মালদ্বীপের ফুটবলে পলাশপুরের সাবিনা


ফুটবলার সাবিনার রয়েছে অনন্য এক অর্জন। সাবিনা খাতুন বাংলাদেশের প্রথম মহিলা ফুটবলার হিসেবে খেলছেন বিদেশের কোনো ক্লাবে।

বাংলাদেশের মহিলা ফুটবলের জন্য এ এক আনন্দের খবর। সেই ১৯৭৫ সালে কাজী সালাউদ্দিন খেলেছিলেন প্রথম বিদেশের ক্লাবে—হংকংয়ের এফসি ক্যারোলিনে। এরপর কায়সার হামিদ, জুয়েল রানা, প্রয়াত মোনেম মুন্নাসহ অনেকেই খেলেছেন ভারতের বিভিন্ন ক্লাবে। এই তালিকার সর্বশেষ সংযোজন—জাতীয় দলের অধিনায়ক মামুনুল ইসলাম। ডাক পেয়েছিলেন আইএসএলে, অ্যাটলেটিকো ডি কলকাতা ক্লাবে। এই মুহূর্তে মালদ্বীপের পুলিশ ক্লাবের হয়ে খেলছেন সাতক্ষীরার পলাশপুরের মেয়ে সাবিনা।

Overall Women Empowerment and Their Success in Bangladesh

Empowering women in Bangladesh is really tough due to such male dominated society; but it is not impossible. The development and involvement of women in social and business arena is gradually increasing. Hundreds of NGO’s and Development organizations are working for the women. But there are only a few organizations who are dedicatedly working with the grassroots women. Association of Grassroots Women Entrepreneurs, Bangladesh (AGWEB) is one of the unique associations who are working for them as well as for others.