Marking the International Day of the Girl Child, 2019, the speakers came up with the call at the Bangladesh Shishu Academy in the capital on Monday.

The theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child was “Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable.” 

The girl children were thriving in many fields including education, sports, politics and administration nowadays but most of them are being victimized of harassments by men, they said.

Lawmaker and Deputy Minister of Education Ministry Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, who was the chief guest at the programme, said that “I think our responsibility is now to remove the gender discrimination from the society.”

“We should not limit girls innovative thinking as they can do all kind of works despite prejudice asserting physical strength as a deciding factor has been prevailing in the society against them.”, he said.

Mohibul said that the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is an example for women and girls when it comes to the leadership qualities and more. 

Shishu Academy’s Chairman Lucky Enam focused on preventing the child marriages and dowry system in rural areas. 

Director General of Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Bangladesh Professor Dr Syed Md Golam Faruk said that the government has taken various initiatives for enhancing the rights of female children.

Presiding over the function, Room to Read Bangladesh’s Country Director Rakhi Sarkar said that her organisation has supported more than 5,000 girls in past 10 years and prevented 400 child marriages in country.

She said that “A world of equality is possible if we could ensure equal participation of men and women. Gender discrimination will be eliminated by ensuring equal dignity and rights for boys and girls in every sectors.” 

Nazmun Nahar, the first woman who traveled 135 countries with the flag of Bangladesh, actor Bannaya Mirza also spoke there among others.