100th int'l women's day today

On the eve of 100th International Women's Day celebration, men with candles in hand vow to resist acid violence yesterday at a programme at Rabindra Sarobar in the city's Dhanmondi area. Photo: Star

On the eve of 100th International Women's Day celebration, a group of men yesterday vowed to fight against acid violence, which makes many women's lives a misery.
“As a man, I am ashamed that in over 95 percent cases it is a man who throws acid at women. It really hurts me. I swear to work so that no woman is burnt by acid anymore,” said singer Shuvro Dev at the rally of men against acid violence at Rabindra Sarobar in the city's Dhanmondi area.
Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) and the Bangla daily Prothom Alo jointly organised the event.
Meanwhile, woman leaders, teachers, students and development workers started celebration of the international women's day through lighting candles on the Central Shaheed Minar premises at 12:01 am today.
International Women's Day has been observed annually since 1910 when an international conference of women in Copenhagen decided that a day should be marked to press for equal rights for women's.
The decision followed a socialist women group's demonstration in New York in 1908 demanding pay rise, shorter working hours, voting right and an end to child labour.
The theme of this year's day is "Equal rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress For All."
President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition in parliament Khaleda Zia gave separate messages on the occasion.
Various women and rights groups across the country are marking the day today with elaborate programmes.
After inaugurating the programme against acid violence, ASF Executive Director Monira Rahman said in the last 100 years the world achieved a lot, but it is a matter of regret that violence against women, especially in countries such as Bangladesh, is still widespread.
Referring to a WHO study in 2005, she said 57.5 percent of women in Bangladesh are sexually and physically tortured. In reality, the rate is much higher, she said.
Monira Rahman said there were 490 incidents of acid throwing in 2002. The number came down to 145 in 2009.
She said men's participation is of immense importance in resisting violence and this is why they organised the men's rally.
“I don't believe the acid throwers are men. They are cowards and worse than the beasts. We have to resist them,” said world famous magician Jewel Aich.
Writer and journalist Anisul Huq said, “In our national anthem we sing, we cry when the face of the mother grows pale. But our mother's face is really pale today.”
“We, as a nation, cannot be proud when people worldwide come to know that the youths of our country throw acid on girls,” he said.
Former chief justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman, also the chief adviser to a caretaker government, said, "We must be very careful so that our behaviour in no way hurts the acid victims."
Drama personality Ramendu Majumder read the women's day declaration, while musical band Panchamshur and singers Tapu, Kana, Joy, Beauty, Dipta, Rumi and others sang at the programme. Candlelight in the evening created a milieu of adoration.
Artist Qayyum Chowdhury, Prothom Alo Trust Chairman Muhammad Aziz Khan, Prothom Alo Joint Editor Abdul Qayum Mukul and ASF Chairperson Parveen Mahmud also spoke on the occasion.