Bangladeshi women have been in the Bangladesh police since 1974, in the Bangladesh Navy since 2000, in the Bangladesh Air Force since 2000 and in the Bangladesh Army since 2002.
Bangladesh is now well-into the Next Eleven Economy and Frontier Five Countries. According to the UN in 2010, the country is making significant progress in human development, gender equity, universal primary education, empowerment of women, reducing population growth, food production, health and renewable energy. The poverty rate has declined considerably since independence, and per-capita income has doubled.
Female-friendly Bangladesh
Bangladesh ranks in the top-ten countries in terms of gender equality. The glorious Bangladeshi women are in all national mainstream activities commencing from being freedom fighters in our great Liberation War in 1971 through working at various technical-social-political-industrial-military-economic levels to the coveted position of the prime minister!
Bangladesh has achieved major successes in women's empowerment, gender equality and parity in primary education. Strong administrative and legal structures, coupled with an active civil society, have been the foundation for women's movements, establishment of rights and the delivery of pro-women services. Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to achieve gender-parity in primary education.
'Education for all' puts strong focus on girl children's education, including stipend programmes up to Bachelors level. Social Safety Net, Conditional Cash Transfers, Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Local Government (Union Parishad) Second Amendment Act in 1997 for direct elections to reserved seats for women -- all lead to women empowerment.  
IMO actions for women integration
Int'l Maritime Organization of UN (IMO) plays an active role in integrating women into the maritime field (Res. 14 of STCW & Action Programme for Equal Opportunities and Advancement of Women). The 2010 IMO STCW Manila Diplomatic Conference invited the governments to highlight the role of women in the seafaring profession and to promote their greater participation in maritime training and at all levels in the maritime industry.
The 2013 IMO Busan Declaration advocated for implementation of a Global Strategy for Women Seafarers and urged greater awareness of the role of women as a valuable resource to the maritime industry, promotion of women as seafarers, support to access for women to maritime education and the merchant marine professions.
Women in seafaring: She to sea!
Women are not represented at the policy level in the maritime world. They represent only 1%-2% of the world's 1.25 million seafarers. However, in the cruise sector, they represent 17%-18% of the workforce. In ships, women often experience problems in being initially accepted, and sometimes have to “prove themselves.” Some traditional-minded men cannot think of women navigating, driving or commanding a vessel in oceans and feel uncomfortable about taking orders from female marine officer/engineers. They think that women's voice is not authoritative; although women seafarers are now handling or anchoring giant ships!
Bangladesh won the honour of becoming the first Muslim majority nation in the world to send an all-women contingent on a UN peace mission (to Haiti) in 2010.
Effort of Bangladesh Marine Academy (BMA)
Female seafarers have been going to sea since the 19th century; now they are found in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Turkey, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Philippines, UK, USA, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, etc. The golden moment is not far away for Bangladesh too! A genuine desire for doing 'something exceptional' is growing among the young women of the 21st century; they inherently possess high ambition and futuristic vision to go ahead breaking the boundary!
BMA's effort for recruiting female cadets commenced in 1996. Finally, it clicked in January 2012 at the Ministry of Shipping. The milestone decision for recruiting females in 2012-2013 session was taken. Three broad areas of workplaces for female seafarers were selected: (1) ocean-going ships, (2) shore-based shipping offices and (3) maritime education (maritime university/academy).
The Academy accomplished the recruitment procedure. Finally, the campus welcomed its long-awaited new type of trainees – female marine cadets! New platoon, new accommodation,  new type of uniform, new style of walking sound, new type of voice --but   the same type of education and training!
Sixteen physically, emotionally and spiritually motivated pioneering cadets have strong determination and indomitable will to become seafarers and leaders in maritime industry. They completed their Phase-I (2 years) of 3-years' Pre-Sea Cadet (Bachelor of Maritime Science) Training Course in December 2013. The Department of Shipping has issued them CDCs (Continuous Discharge Certificate – which may be called sea-passport!). They are now awaiting employment at Bangladesh Shipping Corporation fleet for completion of their Phase-II (on-board training) at sea!
Post-script! Female Seafarers are unique combination of 'strength and beauty' capable of performing with excellence! Bon Voyage!

The writer is a Maritime Expert of IMO (UN) & GlobalMET (Australia), a Member of WMU (Sweden) Board of Governors, and Commandant of Bangladesh Marine Academy, Chittagong (www.macademy.gov.bd).