On Wednesday, August 16, 2024, Mukti Cox's Bazar, in collaboration with international donor organization” International Volunteers of Yamagata (IVY-Japan), with technical support from IVY and financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), organized a discussion session at Whykong Union Parishad Hal room to celebrate International Rural Women’s Day 2024. The event was held as part of the "Enhancing Market Access for Small-scale Farmers (EMASF) in Hilly and Mountainous Areas in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar" project. The session aimed to acknowledge the vital contribution of rural women to food security, poverty reduction and sustainable development.
The session was chaired by SM Belalur Rahman, Senior Technical Officer-Agriculture of the EMASF Project. The chief guest of the event was the chairman of Whykong Union Parishad, Principal Nur Ahmed Anwari. Among the special guests were seven ward members, two reserved women members, Rafiqul Islam, Headmaster of Kanjarpara High School and representatives from NGOs BRAC and JNUS, including Jannatul Ferdous Onoti and Mst. Khatiza.
In addition, 40 women leaders from the project's working areas, covering five wards, participated willingly in the discussion. Md. Suruj Khan, Finance and Admin Officer of the project, moderated the event and presented the importance, purpose, and significance of International Rural Women's Day. He further elaborated on the widespread celebration of the day, mentioning that from October 8 to 15, 2024, separate events were held at six venues in the five wards of the project area, engaging a total of 250 beneficiaries. The ward-level celebrations included discussions, sports events, and prize distributions, in which rural women beneficiaries participated with joy and enthusiasm.
Two rural women leaders, Prameching Marma and Julekha Begum, delivered speeches during the session. They expressed their pride in attending the event and thanked Mukti Cox's Bazar for organizing such an occasion. Rafiqul Islam, Headmaster of Kanjarpara High School, praised the celebration of International Rural Women’s Day, calling it an exceptional initiative. He remarked that women have advanced with the support of NGOs and emphasized that the development of the country would be possible if rural women were more aware of their own progress.
Senior Officer of BRAC, Jannatul Ferdous Onti, in her speech, highlighted the fact that while International Women's Day is widely celebrated, International Rural Women's Day often goes unnoticed. She thanked Mukti Cox's Bazar for organizing such a unique event.
Ward Member Md. Jalal Ahmed from Ward No. 1 shared his thoughts, saying, "We used to think that women only worked at home. But times have changed and now rural women are leading the way."
In his speech, Principal Nur Ahmed Anwari, Chairman of Whykong Union Parishad, quoted from the renowned poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s poem "বিশে^ যা কিছ সৃষ্টি চির কল্যানকর, অর্ধেক তার করিয়াছে নারী , অর্ধেক তার নর” He added that this message serves as an inspiration for all and motivates men. He emphasized that for the world to progress, there must be equality between men and women in all endeavors. He concluded his speech by thanking Mukti Cox's Bazar for taking the initiative to celebrate International Rural Women's Day in his union.
Lastly, as the event's chairperson, Senior Technical Officer-Agriculture S.M. Belalur Rahman noted that while women have advanced in various fields, rural women still face numerous challenges and inequalities. He stressed the need to address these issues and highlighted that International Rural Women’s Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a platform to show the vital role rural women play and the barriers they encounter. He concluded by thanking everyone and formally closing the session.
