They said lack of awareness, financial problems, indecision and reluctance to go to hospital are mainly responsible for large number of maternal mortality.

They laid emphasis on safe motherhood and active role of husbands and mothers-in-law to help reduce maternal death and complications during pregnancy.

The programme styled as 'Role of family in ensuring safe motherhood and nutritious food supplement to pregnant mothers' was held at Dhaka Reporters Unity Auditorium in the city to mark the International Safe Motherhood Day 2007.

Nari Maitree, in association with Second Urban Primary Health Care Project (UPHCP-II), Partnership Area (PA)-6, and Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) organised the programme where some pregnant mothers, their husbands and mothers-in-law were also present.

Masuda Begum, project manager of UPHCP-II, said around six lakh mothers die due to pregnancy-related problems across the world and half of them occurred in South Asian countries.

Quoting a World Health Organisation (WHO) survey, she said 53 per cent of married women of Dhaka have the experience of physical torture and sexual harassment by their husbands, and this proves that women are also subjected to torture by their husbands during pregnancy.

Masuda said 10 per cent of pregnant women have faced physical torture at least once during pregnancy and 12 per cent of 80 per cent women who faced torture during pregnancy said torture during pregnancy was more dangerous than pre-pregnancy period.

She said proper care of pregnant women, helping them in household works, regular check up, and ensuring delivery by trained persons can reduce the maternal mortality.

Rafiqus Islam of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said 87 per cent delivery cases take place at homes, where people are not trained and experienced enough, exposing pregnant women to various complications that sometimes lead to disabilities.

He said early marriage and conception, lack of nutritious foods, physical and mental torture by husbands and mothers-in-law, and indecision are the main impediments to safe motherhood.

Rafiqus said the husbands have immense responsibility in taking proper care of their pregnant wives and ensuring their safe delivery.

Jamal A Naser Chowdhury, project director of UPHCP-II, said whenever a mother conceives she needs extra care and mental support.

"All of us should perform our duties with sincerity so that we can ensure safe motherhood," he added.

Daulatunnesa, president of Nari Maitree, said safe motherhood is a basic human rights of women which should be ensured by the family and the state as safe motherhood can give a healthy next generation.

She also appealed to all to help stop violence against women especially during the pregnancy period.

On this occasion, Naser Chowdhury gave away cartons of nutritious biscuits to pregnant women.

Sirajul Haider, deputy project director of UPHCP-II, Kamruzzaman M Ali and Programme officer of PIU DCC were present at the programme.