One of the more obvious ways to achieve that would be to empower our women, who, historically, have faced tremendous barriers in entering the mainstream economy. However, there is reason to celebrate as the situation is getting much better to that end.
There has been a steady increase in the percentage of women who are independent directors of listed companies. The fact that this has happened despite the impact of Covid-19 -- which has disproportionately affected women -- is a testament to just how much our development can be expedited when more women are in positions of leadership.
Which is all the more pleasantly surprising, given that women have historically been under-represented in the workforce, as far as leadership positions are concerned.
In the past, while participation of women was restricted mainly to lower-level roles, the situation has gradually improved. And due to the implicit impact of placing women in leadership roles, this situation can only improve even more. Arming women with further opportunities to participate in leadership roles can only further give way to workplace cultures that are truly egalitarian, and as Bangladesh graduates from its status as a Least Developed Country, the best thing we can do is to make the workplace conducive for all genders.
Not only will a greater influx of women in the mainstream economy advance our socio-economic standing, but women in leadership roles also means that we can grapple with the challenges of tomorrow in more inclusive and creative ways.
This is a trend that should not be allowed to die down. We need to ensure that the participation of women in leadership roles is equal to that of men. We have a huge task ahead, and we need all the help we can get, after all.