State Minister Chumki: 20 million women will be self-reliant

The government has undertaken a project to make 20 million Bangladeshi women economically self-reliant, said the State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki. The minister made the statement during the inauguration ceremony of the project "Marginal Women Development" conducted by National Women Association in Cox's Bazar, reported BSS on Tuesday. While speaking as the chief guest at the event, Chumki said: "The government has launched Income Generating Activity (IGA) for empowering women economically with Tk250 crore across the country.” Through this project, city-based marginalised women will get training on trades such as sewing, embroidery, fashion design, catering, business management, and mushroom and bee farming. She said under IGA, economically marginalised women will be provided with skill development training in 18 trades free of cost and with conveyance allowance. Chumki said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has launched various programmes for empowering the underprivileged section of Bangladeshi women. Many global forums have appreciated these initiatives by the Bangladesh government. Chairman of Cox's Bazar district National Women Sangstha Kaniz Fatema Ahmed, chairman of National Women Association Professor Momtaz Begum, Joint Secretary Anwara Begum, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali Hossain, and Project Director Nurun Nahar Begum Hena were present at the event.