Thousands march for National Girl Child Day!

Photos and story by Supriya Banavalikar and Roobon

Bangladesh celebrated its girl children this morning in Dhaka with over 2,000 participants taking to the city streets. Girls and boys of all ages, teachers,  animators, various NGO partners, and members of the 58 organizations which form the NGCD coalition were among those who expressed their support of this major strategic initiative of THP.

Coalition leaders.

Every print and electronic media were in attendance and chronicled the importance of this special day

Tazima Majumdar organizing marchers

Loud slogans of "Our Pledge: No more malnourished girl children" had traffic stopping to see the colorful rally that left with great pomp from Dhaka's Children's Academy to the prestigious Press Club, where girls of all ages spoke out about their life, and their vision for a new future for girls in Bangladesh.  The rally was inaugurated by eminent Bangladeshi novelist Emdadul Hoq Milon, and the chief guest of the event was the famous creator of Meena, the cartoon icon of many Unicef publications on the education of girl children.  Representatives for the 100 NGO strong coalition that THP has mobilized as part of the National Girl Child Forum one after another expressed their commitment to working towards better education, health and nutrition for girls

Performers ready!

Reshma Sharma - seen last year running through the red ribbon in a prize-winning photo.

Prominent women activists shared their personal experiences of growing up in a society which discriminated against girls, and said how proud they were to be a part of a coalition that empowered girls to be all that they can be

Investor-activists from the United States were part of these celebrations, and they had the opportunity to pledge their partnership and support of the Bangladeshi people in ending hunger

An impressive 1,000 events ranging from rallies, art contest and debates were held across 64 districts of Bangladesh.

 
Hunger Project Investors at the presentation.

Girl Child Day Celebration-2005

 `Our Pledge: No More Malnourished Girl Child’ with this slogan the sixth National Girl Child Day is observed today, at the initiative of The National Girl Child Advocacy Forum. A colorful rally was brought out from the Shushu Academy to The Press Club, where a discussion meeting was also held.

Eminent Novelist Emdadul Hoq Milon led the Rally and spoke in favor of the Slogan and the Objectives of the Day. About Three thousands boys and girls their teachers, Guardian and prominent citizens of the country took part in the rally and discussion meeting. Fifty-four organizations with their children and other activists participated in the rally and discussion meeting. Prominent Cultural Celebrity Mustafa Monower was present in the discussion meeting as the chief guest and the meeting was presided over by Dr. Badiul Alam Majumder president of the Girl Child Advocacy Forum, Global vice president & Country Director of the Hunger Project-Bangladesh. Among others Dr. Halima Khatun Professor Dhaka University, Professor Latifa Akhand of Dhaka University, Talaya Rahman Executive Director of Democracy Watch, Shah Abdul Hannan former secretary to the Government of Bangladesh, Dr Shawkat ara Hossain of Dhaka University, Mr. Rafirul Islam Sarker Former Chief Reporter of Bangladesh Television, Dr. Meher-E-Khoda spoke on the occasion.

Nasima Akter Joly Secretary of the Forum welcomed the participants and the guests. Nur-E-Hafza presented the program.

The Meeting was rounded off with a cultural function and prizes were awarded to the winners of the Essay & painting competitions.

SHUJAN Press conference

Shujun (Shushashaner Jonney Nagarik) organized on 6th September, 05 for a meeting with the journalists and reporters of the National Dailies of the country to brief them on the personal data of the candidates for the reserved seats of women in The Parliament. The press briefing was held in the conference hall of the Dhaka Reporters Unity at 10 am and continued till 1 pm.

Prominent economist and convener of Shujan Professor Mojaffar Ahamed, welcoming the journalists and reporters, narrated to them different aspects of the data which these candidates supplied to the RO (Returning Officer) swearing affidavit. Professor Ahmed upheld to the journalists and the reporters how perfunctorily the required information’s were supplied, and how the candidates tried to conceal the truth.

In the press briefing who replied to the questions of the journalists and reporters  were renowned human right activist  Sultana Kamal, member secretary of Shujun Dr Badiul Alam Majumder and prominent columnist Syed Abul Moksud. They also elaborately pointed out different tricky aspects of the informations and their weakness. They told the journalist and reporters that the verdict of the honorable High Court of 24 May, is equally applicable to the candidates of reserved seats for women.

Prof Mojaffar Ahamed reiterated  that the progress and well-being of the country has been deterred for corruptions, violence and black money which have entered  in our politics. At present what we need most is to establish the rule of law and good governance, to give our democracy an institutional shape. First condition for democracy is a free & fair election. The statement of information of the candidates submitted to the election commission and published for general information is not clear, incomplete and misleading. As it was directed in the verdict of the Court the EC should have published the affidavits of the individual candidates, but the EC seems to be reluctant to do that. As a result the noble purpose of the Court order has been frustrated. The political parties are silent over it which indicates that they would do the same thing in future.

Shujun wants to make the voters conscious about the past records of the candidates. Prof. Ahemed further said that the Political party(BNP has taken taka 3 lack from each candidate as contribution towards party fund. This is totally unacceptable.Why should the party raise this money from the candidates? if they at all raise any such fund thet should make it  known to the public. He again referred to the last by-election of Faridpur -1 constituency, where the candidates met the voters in a “face to face” projection meeting  which certainly reduced tension and expenditure.

Advocate Sultana Kamal said that suppressing of truth and facts has become a culture in our society and as a nation it is leading us to a catastrophe. She also said that it is a threat to our democracy also.  Transparency is one of the first conditions of democracy. She again said, we one be half of the women society, demanded for direct election of  the reserved seats for women. But our demand was not accepted in the Parliament. Now they would be member of the Parliament, but would not represent any area or people. They would not be responsible to the people. They would be responsible to the party and the party bosses. This is not acceptable to the women class of the country. This is not honorable to them. This also against the principle of democracy. She expressed her annoyance for deleting the provision of equality of women in all affairs of life from the National  policy without consulting anyone.

Badiul Alam Majumder said that the information published by the EC has rather  created confusion in the mind of the people. The objectives of the verdict of the Court have been frustrated in the format the election commission has made it public. The Commission has made it a mere formability.The purpose of making the voters empowered with the information of the candidates, has also been defeated. The Court  wanted that if the voters know the past records of the candidates, they could exercise their right of franchise properly. As a result honest and good peoples would come to power instead of criminals. He also referred to some of the consistencies of the information supplied by the Commission. He especially mentioned the sources of  income from business. Some of the candidates mentioned about their business but did not mention the name of business or accounts of the properties. Many of the candidates have said that they have no money in the bank which can not be believed. He requested

the journalists and newsmen to make investigating report on such issues and making them public for making the people aware of the real facts and dispelling confusion . If it is done the political parties would be careful in future and criminals would feel discouraged to take part in election. He farther requested the newsmen to start collecting information’s of the prospective candidates of the next general election, from right now and publish them on appropriate time.

Syed Abul Moksud referring to the fair play in politics said that the EC has failed to collect the right information from the candidates and make them known to the people. Though the verdict of the Court did not mention about the punishment of the defaulters, the EC can make rule to punish them under PRO 72. But it is not understood why the EC is not doing that.