Dhaka Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farida Khanom -File photo

DHAKA, Aug 11, 2026 (BSS) - Dhaka Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farida Khanom today said that true and balanced development of the country is not possible by leaving women behind.

"Women constitute half of the country's population. Therefore, they must be brought into the mainstream of development and made self-reliant. If women move forward, the family, society and the country will move forward," she said.

The Dhaka DC made the remarks while addressing a function of Strengthening People for fostering Rights and Empowerment (SPRE) Project organized by Institute for Environment and Development (IED) at Dhaka district administration auditorium. 

Farida Khanom further said development is neither a one-off nor a short-term process. Long-term, participatory and inclusive development is needed to bring about real and sustainable changes in people's lives. 

One of the key conditions for such development is to bring disadvantaged women into the mainstream of development and make them self-reliant, she added.

"Women should not be kept dependent merely on assistance; rather, they must be empowered in a way that enables them to shape their own future," the Dhaka DC stated.

She added saying that to this end, marginalized women should be provided with opportunities for practical skills development, information and communication technology (ICT), technical education and small entrepreneurship training alongside basic education.