They said patriarchal attitude and lack of political commitment are keeping women behind though they have advanced much in education, health and economic activities during the last couple of years.

The roundtable titled ' Women's Political Empowerment ' was organised jointly by Shushashoner Janney Nagorik (Shujon) and Girl Child Advocacy Forum at the National Press Club in the city.

While moderating the programme, Dr Maleka Begum said women empowerment is not an issue of women only, rather it includes the total situation of the country.

Party, politics and globalisation are womanising the women, she added.

In his keynote paper, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder said political empowerment of women is important for two reasons.

" Firstly, it will ensure women's equal opportunity and secondly it will reduce poverty," he said.

Stressing the need for women's significant representation in parliament Dr Badiul proposed a rotational system where one-third seats would be reserved for women and they must be elected directly by people's vote.

He said only women should be qualified for contesting the reserve seats and they will also get opportunity to contest the general seats outside the reserved ones.

Prof Muzaffer Ahmad of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said lack of security hinders women empowerment.

" Social change is necessary for women's empowerment," he added.

Prof Ahmad said if the participation of women could be ensured in local government, it would speed up their empowerment.

Dr Hamida Hossain stressed the need for participation of women in every institution.

Women should be empowered from grassroots level where there should be women vice- chairman in every union, said Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Some speakers said political parties must be forced by promulgating ordinances for ensuring significant representation of women in political parties.

Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque, GM Qader of Jatiya Party, Prof Latifa Akand, Columnist Syed Abul Moksud, Hazera Sultana of Workers' Party and representatives from different non-government organisations also spoke.