Pledge to make Dhaka women friendly

All mayoral and councillor candidates must pledge to make Dhaka city safe and friendly for women, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad said at a pre-election press conference yesterday, presenting a charter of its demands.

The rights body said females of all ages were falling victim to different forms of violence every day due to a lack of safety and proper atmosphere in the capital. Women cannot walk safely, as the streets are not sufficiently lighted, its leaders told the conference at Jatiya Press Club.

In a statement, the Parishad said one third of Dhaka city's total population of 1.45 crore, or 57 lakh, were women, and demanded more secure hostels for working women, daycare centres for their children, separate public toilets and public buses, and women-friendly markets.

The city is gradually becoming uninhabitable due to a lack of coordination among the service providing agencies, mismanagement and corruption, the statement said.

To ensure the healthy development of children, there must be more playgrounds, and adequate security and improvement at the amusement parks, it said.

In the 44-point charter, Mahila Parishad also urged the Election Commission to hold the April 28 polls in a free, fair, and neutral manner, keep it free from muscle power and black money, and prevent the abuse of religion in campaigns. 

Acting President of Mahila Parishad Fauzia Moslem moderated the press conference, while General Secretary Maleka Banu was present.

Kazi Sufia Akhter, movement secretary of the Parishad, read out the statement.