Development activists and social workers at a discussion viewed the role of non-governmental development organizations as very important towards successful implementation of the government's uplift programmes in terms of taking the nation forward.
They mentioned that the present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing various time-fitting programmes for improving living and livelihood conditions of the grassroots population particularly for the low-income and marginalized ones.
To this end, the NGOs should supplement the government endeavors with their heartfelt importance.
Rajshahi district unit of Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF) organized the discussion at a city restaurant in observance of the BNF Day- 2021 on Friday. More than 100 people from 15 NBF member organizations including Ladies Organization for Social Welfare (LOFS), Agriculture Sustainable and Socio- Economic Development Organization (ASSEDO) and Protibandhi Swechhasebi Sangstha took part in the programme.
On the occasion, winter clothes were distributed among 18 low-income and distressed people.
Deputy Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Ariful Islam and its Labour Inspector Imran Hossain and Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat addressed the meeting as resource persons.
With LOFS Executive Director Shahnaz Parveen in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Chief Community Development Officer of Rajshahi City Corporation Azizur Rahman, Director of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and mIndustries Mustafizur Rahman and Advocate Shahinul Haque.
The discussants unanimously said there are many curses including violence against women, child marriage, child labour, dowry, gender disparity and drug-addiction in the society and opined that a concerted effort of all government and non-government organization become indispensable to free the society from the curses.
The meeting was told that eradication of child marriage, violence against women, equal rights to education, training, science and technology are imperative for the country.
The practice of child marriage in the country is very alarming, especially for girls, as they are treated as a burden of the society, mostly in slums and rural areas.
They termed child marriage as a gross violation of human rights and said it is vital to raise massive awareness about the negative impacts of early marriage with the help of the mass media.
In his remarks, Ariful Islam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already declared that the rural areas will be transformed into urban like areas through reaching the modern facilities there. At present, the country is on the road towards development. He added that Bangladesh will be elevated to a new height when it achieves the SDGs- 2030 and Rupkalpa-2041. He urged the NGOs to supplement the government efforts collectively.
