Call for more representation of women in media

More women's representation both in print and electronic media is needed to help the country move on towards progress, speakers said at the inaugural session of a seven-day workshop in Dhaka on Sunday.

They also urged the country's media management to create more job opportunities for women in the media as women represent only five-percent of the total journalists in the Bangladesh media.

Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra with the financial assistance of the Canadian International Development Agency arranged the workshop on 'Gender Sensitive Reporting' at the National Press Club.

The function, with the BNSK president Nasimun Ara Haque in the chair, was attended by BSS chief editor Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury as chief guest.

Zaglul stressed the need for more participation of women in the media, as women representation in Bangladesh's media was relatively less compared with most South Asian countries. He emphasised proper knowledge, particularly good command over languages for achieving success in journalism.

Nasimun Ara stressed the need for recognising development of women as an integral part of overall national progress, ensuring rights of the women community leaders in taking decisions at the family, social and national levels through necessary reforms in the existing policy.

She urged the media management to keep at least 25 per cent jobs for women in the country's media. BNSK general secretary Parveen Sultana, joint secretary Aditi Rahman, treasurer Akhter Jahan, Shahnaj Sharmin, Ching Mei, Sanjida Akhter and Bilkis Akhter spoke, among others, on the occasion.