A mile in these shoes

Mina MahmudaAdditional SP, Police Bureau of InvestigationI have been in the police force since 2006. I was assigned after my BCS exam, according to my preferences. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive at first. I was uncertain if I could cope with the pressure the job demands. But I found that the environment is very accommodating. There is a perception that police work may not be appropriate for women. My mother was skeptical at first. “You are talented and capable. You can take on any other profession,” she had said. But after I had started working, she quickly came on board and realised that there is nothing strange about my job. Aside from the initial unease, both sides of my family have been extremely supportive of my work. My working hours is the typical 9-to-5. It was different when I was with the DB (Detective Branch). I think it is possible to maintain a balance between your work and family life. I happen to think that it’s all about your mental strength and attitude. So even when I need to work late, I don’t find it particularly difficult. I would definitely encourage women to come into this profession because there is prestige and honour in the work that I do, and I see no reason why more women shouldn’t come to work in the police force. My advice to women of our country is that they should be aware of their rights.Dr Nasrin BegumGynecologist, OBS Specialist and SurgeonThe primary challenge in my professional career was looking after my daughters. My husband was immensely helpful and I never felt any pressure. I was a trainee when my daughters were little. I had to work really long hours. My family on my husband’s side was also very supportive. I couldn’t have succeeded in this profession without their support. In the past, people used to say disparaging things like, “Why can’t she go into teaching, then she wouldn’t have to work so late.” But that has changed a lot now. People are more accepting to the idea. My father wanted me to be a doctor. He died on the day of my interview for admission in medical college. But I gathered up the courage to still pursue my goal to honour my father. I went to the interview after a week and got a place in medical college. I would encourage women to come into this profession. In my days, we had poor medical students with us and we helped them with tuition fees. Now they are working in prestigious institutions and places. It is true that you have to study a lot, particularly in the first two years. But all of that will pay off soon enough.Dolly RozarioMedical NurseI have been in this profession for 25 years now. I have come a long way since I first started. It wasn’t easy when I got into nursing. 25 years ago this institution (Bangladesh Medical College Hospital) was such a tiny place. I stuck with it, and now it’s a big institution. One of the biggest problems of working late is leaving your children at home. The other day my daughter was home alone during a heavy storm and power outage. She was really scared and it’s very tough for me when something like that happens. I would say that going to and from work is a problem. The traffic in the city is unbearable. When I came into nursing my family stopped talking to me. They did not take it kindly. People used to look down upon nurses. I earned money from teaching private students and used that to find accommodation. When my brother-in-law became ill, I helped them with the treatment. After that, they slowly started to change their attitude. In my time, girls couldn’t get married easily if they were in nursing. But that has changed a lot. People even appreciate the profession. There is security in this job for women within the medical community. We protect each other.Fahmida PompaNew motherOne of the biggest challenge as a new mother is to understand your baby. To appropriately respond to your child and to understand what he or she needs is something that you have to learn. I live with my husband alone, so I was mentally prepared to take up all the difficulties I would face after the birth of my daughter. I have studied a lot on the internet and from other sources. I forgot what it was like to sleep at night in the first two months after my daughter was born. But that has gradually changed. Also, it’s easier for me because my husband helps me out a lot. I wouldn’t call caring for my child a job because this is what I am meant to do, something that is divine. I do it with joy. My mother relied a lot on my grandmother because she was a working woman. Perhaps I subconsciously wanted to avoid that, and that is why even after acquiring highest university degrees, I chose to not work. My advice to women who are thinking of having a child or who are going to be mothers soon is to get out of the traditional mindset. We need to stop looking at pregnancy like an illness. If you accept this as a natural process, which it is, then everything will be easier. The most important thing is to try to learn as much as you can. There is no alternative to consciousness and knowledge.