Call to end negative political culture

22 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Putting an end to the negative political culture and ensuring full democratisation of society and state are a must to achieve women's political empowerment, speakers at a conference said yesterday. They also stressed the need to strengthen the relations between women's movement and the political parties. The Steps Towards Development organised the daylong Sufia Kamal Fellow Conference at RDEC auditorium, LGED Bhaban, in the city. Lawmaker Meher Afroz Chumki said more women are now entering politics, they are being elected to parliament directly and they are also taking the helm of ministries following some positive steps taken for their empowerment. The people also have confidence on them as there are no allegations of corruption and misuse of power against women leaders, she said. Advocate Sultana Kamal, former adviser to the caretaker government, called for identifying and removing the obstacles to ensuring women's participation in politics and other professions. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam called on all to follow the ideology of poet Sufia Kamal. If politics can be made free of black money and muscle power, and greater democratic practices in the political parties can be ensured, more women will be encouraged no enter politics, she said. Rasheda K Chowdhury, former advisor of a Caretaker government, Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Sharif Nurul Ambia, general secretary Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), also spoke at the programme.