Balanced national dev impossible whithout leaving women behind: Dhaka DC Farida Khanm
Staff Correspondent

True and balanced national development cannot be achieved while leaving women behind, stated Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanm.

Addressing as chief guest at an event organized by the Institute for Environment and Development (IED) under the SPRE project at the Dhaka District Administration conference room on Tuesday (August 11), DC Farida Khanm highlighted that women constitute half of the country's population and must be integrated into mainstream economic activities to achieve self-reliance.

"Development is not an isolated or short-term process," she said. "To bring real and sustainable change to people's lives, long-term, participatory, and inclusive development is essential. A key condition for this is bringing marginalized women into the development fold and empowering them to be self-sufficient."

She emphasized that rather than relying solely on relief, women should be equipped with practical skills, information and communication technology (ICT) training, technical education, and entrepreneurship skills so they can shape their own futures.

The Deputy Commissioner called for streamlining access to public and private services for marginalized women, ensuring that social safety net benefits, legal aid, and healthcare reach their doorsteps without procedural hassles.

Focusing on economic empowerment, she stressed providing women with direct involvement in income-generating activities through easy-access credit, startup funding, and market linkages to sell their products locally and online.

She also urged for greater female participation in decision-making processes across family, social, and local administrative tiers, particularly in environmental conservation and local problem-solving.

"Empowerment of women and development of marginalized communities cannot be achieved by government efforts alone," Farida Khanm added, reaffirming the Dhaka District Administration's commitment to partnering with NGOs like IED, civil society, and local communities to drive sustainable development.