Sundarbans Resources
Equal rights of women demanded
Speakers at a workshop demanded equal rights of women and men to the resources of the Sundarbans, pointing out that women often face attack, discrimination, and harassment while collecting the forest resources.
They also demanded of the government to give state recognition to the profession of the forest people whose livelihood depends on the forest resources.
BARCIK, a non-government organisation, held the national workshop in Shatkhira on the equal rights of women and men to the Sundarbans’ natural resources.
The speakers urged the forest department to remove all kinds of gender disparities while giving legal approval for collecting forest resources.
BARCIK earlier held two workshops in Shatkhira, results of which were revealed at the yesterday’s workshop.
The results of the two workshops show that women and men of the Sundarbans area think themselves an alienated community and fear the government officials.
Traders destroy the forest for profit, but people depending on the forest resources do not destroy it for the sake of their livelihood, said the speakers.
Prof Dr Maleka Begum of women and gender studies department of Dhaka University spoke as the chief guest.
Prof Maleka said the recent proposals for building rail lines near the Sundarbans will put the forest resources at risk adding that all should voice against the railway establishment.
Director of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA), Syeda Rizwana Hassan, said the rights of the forest dwellers should be fixed.
Hannana Begum, director of Bangladesh Bank board directors, and Aparup Chowdhury, joint secretary of the environment and forest ministry also spoke at the workshop.
