No progress if women excluded: Blake
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake speaks at the Asian University for Women (AUW) in the port city yesterday.Photo: STAR
It is impossible for a country to realise its full potential to advance or develop if women, half of the population, are excluded from meaningful participation in political or economic life, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake said here yesterday. Bangladesh has made women's empowerment a national priority, resulting in steep drops in maternal and infant mortality, and more girls attending and graduating from schools, he said while delivering a speech at the Asian University for Women (AUW) in the port city. About economic opportunity, Blake said it is important to everyone and one of the best ways to increase the opportunity and development for all is through greater cooperation and trade between neighbouring countries. “Trade with neighbours makes a good economic sense. Just look at the United States, where two of our top three trading partners--Canada and Mexico--are on our borders and account for almost 30 percent of our total trade value. “In contrast, trade among countries of South and Central Asia is shockingly low”. Only about five percent of the trade in the region is between South Asian countries, he said. The senior US official also attended an award giving ceremony in Chittagong yesterday. As the chief guest, he distributed certificates among 40 Madrasa students of Chittagong who have successfully completed a two-year English course under English Access Micro Scholarship Programme (EAMP), funded by American Centre. English is the most key language for building bridge with nations as it is an international language, Blake told the students. “You will be the bridge of the US and Bangladesh relationship”, he said. US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena was also present at the award giving ceremony organised by Language Proficiency Centre, Chittagong. Javed Karrem, director of EAMP, said the programme was launched in March 2011. It is a two-year English learning course for Madrasa students. Two more programmes including a course for the teachers of Madrasas are going on in Chittagong, he said.
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