It is no big secret that Bangladesh has a long way to go when it comes to gender equality, with newspapers rife with reports of sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
Nevertheless, we as a nation are slowly starting to see more and more inspirational, powerful female role models paving the way for all women and girls of the country.
To that end, the story of the two women pilots who are serving in the UN peacekeeping missions in the Congo should be seen as a shining example of how we can make our stamp on the world at large if true equality between the sexes were ensured.
Flight Captain Tamanna-E-Lutfi and Flight Captain Nayma Haque are considered as role models to the Congolese women in the region, where they are carrying out their missions as UN peacekeepers. The local women are being inspired by the pilots into rethinking their roles within their own society.
This is the sort of impact we wish to see our people make on the world -- and it does not have to be a faraway dream.
Despite the unfortunate position that many girls and women happen to find themselves in Bangladesh, our society is slowly, but surely, heading in the right direction. With women in the workforce contributing to more than 30% of our overall GDP growth, the nation is starting to understand the tangible benefits of women becoming more empowered.
But we cannot achieve all our goals overnight -- we have to actively end the sexist attitudes in our society, and the best way we can accomplish such a goal is to educate the people.
As these incredible women have proven, the so-called glass ceiling can be shattered -- all we need is to want that to happen.
