I wish to see our girls breaking all barriers and taking the lead in our nation building. This plays a crucial role in my vision for peace and development, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
Fundamentalism or fanaticism would not be a barrier to girls' education in Bangladesh and the people are conscious about which is good for them and which is not, she said.
The prime minister made the statement in a lecture titled "Girls Lead the Way" at the World Leaders Forum at Columbia University on Friday, BSS reports.
Sheikh Hasina Said: "Fundamentalist forces once opposed education of girls. But with the passage of time we have overcome the challenge. We believe that education is the key challenge for the nation. If we could provide education to the women and enable them with financial freedom they would be able to face many challenges.
Our women have shown that given the opportunity they can defy all odds and excel in what they aspire to do. Our job in the government is to create the right opportunities for them to thrive and prosper in equality and dignity."
The Forum's roster of past participants features many heads of state, in addition to other global thought leaders from a broad spectrum of fields and all regions of the world. A few of the many remarkable past participants are Presidents Bill Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, V clav Klaus of the Czech Republic, and the Dalai Lama.
President of the University Lee C Bollinger welcomed the Prime Minister and delivered the introductory speech. He also moderated a lively question-answer session participated by full-packed Rotunda, Low Memorial Library of the University. He highlighted the successes of Bangladesh achieved over the years in the socioeconomic and political sectors and under the daunting challenges ahead.
