Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said the country’s constitution approves equal rights of all men and women, but economic deprivation leads to various other disparities in the social, political and cultural arena.

Therefore, she said, economic empowerment is the first condition that should be ensured for women empowerment in other areas. She was addressing a discussion titled “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” organised by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus gave the welcome speech while former president Angur Nahar Monty presented a keynote paper. Canadian High Commissioner Lilly Nicholls, French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy and Swedish Ambassador Alexander Berg von Linde took part at the discussion.

Bangladesh’s first women officer at the foreign ministry, Ambassador Nasim Firdaus and former Ambassador Majeda Rafiqun Nessa were honored by the DCAB.