Sagar Chowdhury, Chandpur

The country is on the way from Digital Bangladesh to Smart Bangladesh. Men and women are moving forward together with time. As women advance in education, so also in the workplace.

Women in the top positions of the state but in such reality. In Rupsa South Union of Faridganj Upazila of Chandpur District, a discussion meeting was held with the participation of women on encouraging women voters to vote. In that union, women do not go to the center to vote since the independence of Bangladesh. Moreover, the women of the union are UP members but do not vote.

Former Senior Secretary Bangladesh Work Commission (PSC) Member Makchudur Rahman Patwari spoke as the chief guest in the local Girdkalindiya High School on Thursday afternoon with Chandpur District Commissioner Kamrul Hasan in the chair.

At the time, he said, our holy book Al-Qur'an and Hadith talk about the burial of men and women. It also mentions voting as a sacred deposit and its use for electing the right leader. There is no saying that women cannot vote anywhere. So the superstitions you have been stuck in for so long are wrong.

He also said that some women voted in the previous UP elections as well. As far as we know, no one was hurt. Therefore, you will participate in the right leadership election by voting in the upcoming national parliament elections from within the screen. Because the country is moving forward. In which women also have roles along with men. Women should break prejudices and come to the path of light.

While delivering the speech of the President, Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Islam said, through the newspaper, I came to know that the women of Rupsa South Union do not cast their votes in any election. I strongly believe that no scholar advised women to refrain from voting. Voting for women by protecting the veil is not against religion. Abstention from voting by women is likely to adversely affect the selection of qualified candidates. Even religious women cannot escape responsibility if an ineligible candidate is elected. Women should vote for the development of the country.

Chandpur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Saiful Islam BPM PPM spoke as a special guest in this courtyard meeting organized by Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, National Women's Organization and Upazila Information Center under the direction of Upazila Education Officer (Acting) Zahirul Islam. District Election Officer Tofoil Ahmed, Upazila Parishad Chairman (Acting) GS Taslim Ahmed, Upazila District Officer Mouli Mondal, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Ajijunnahar, Thana Officer-in-Charge Md Saidul Islam, Local UP Chairman Sharif Hossain Khan, Biswa also spoke. Khandkar Mostafa Kamal, one of the founders of Sahitya Kendra, Jahangir Hossain, Headmaster of Girdkalindiya High School and Mao. Mohammad Saiful Islam. A large number of women were present.

It is to be noted that after independence women of Rupsa South Union of Upazila are not voting in national and local elections by misinterpreting a request of Pir of Jainpur in that area, despite doing all the work alongside men.

However, despite the efforts of all quarters including the administration for the past decade, a nominal number of women vote, the rest do not go to the polling stations out of fear.