Bangladesh cannot sideline half its population, says Zaima Rahman

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman’s daughter Zaima Rahman on Sunday said Bangladesh cannot afford to sideline half its population through exhaustion and social expectation if the country wants real progress.

“For a country facing climate change, economic and political transitions, and demographic pressure, Bangladesh cannot afford to sideline half its population through exhaustion and social expectation,” she said while speaking at a dialogue, UNB reports. 

Zaima said when women are included rather than sidelined, they transform not only their own lives but also the future of their families and the nation.

She said real progress and sustainable national development require that women’s empowerment goes beyond classrooms, offices, or policies. “It must reach our homes, our institutions, and our mindsets, and it must be the responsibility of all of us.”

The dialogue, titled ‘Women Shaping the Nation: Policy, Possibility, and Future of Bangladesh’, was organised by Dhaka Forum at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium.

Drawing on her personal experience, Zaima highlighted the role of her family in shaping her understanding of women’s potential, and stressed the crucial role of men, particularly fathers, in breaking the cycle of gender inequality.

Zaima said she had never been made to feel that her parents wished for a son instead and recalled that her father had once scolded someone for even asking such a question.

She noted that while she was treated with respect and care at home, her father understood that the world outside would not always be the same, and he ensured she could navigate it with confidence.

She explained that his example was not in speeches but in consistent actions, which showed her what she should expect from the world.

Zaima also said this is how real and lasting change can be achieved, and when men confront unconscious bias in their homes and lives and model respect and fairness, they create space for women not only to survive but to thrive.

She also spoke about her mother, a cardiologist, who excelled professionally in often patriarchal environments while raising a family, supported by her household.

Zaima highlighted her maternal grandmother Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu who in 1979 started a free elementary school for disadvantaged children in her home—a small act that grew into one of Bangladesh’s earliest NGOs, Surovi, transforming countless young lives.

She said her grandparents instilled the belief that women’s dignity must be recognised both privately and publicly.

Tarique’s daughter noted that her grandfather, former President Ziaur Rahman, saw women as capable contributors at home, at work, and in public life.

“Under his leadership, the expansion of the garment sector brought millions of women into formal employment for the first time, providing independence and income. The creation of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs reflected a commitment to improving women’s lives through intentional policies and structure,” she said.

Zaima also acknowledged the legacy of her grandmother and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in promoting girls’ education. “Through initiatives like free secondary schooling, cash-for-education programmes, and support for female students, millions of girls were able to remain in school, achieving gender parity in secondary education for the first time.”

She stressed that education alone is not enough and women must be supported to remain active in public and economic life, with access to credit, livelihoods, small businesses, and strengthened systems for maternity leave and childcare

Zaima highlighted that in Bangladesh, women still perform around 85% of unpaid household and care work, valued at nearly 19% of GDP, yet largely invisible in economic planning and decision-making.

She warned that gender inequality is not only a women’s issue but a national economic issue.

“When women carry the bulk of responsibility, their participation in the formal economy suffers. Despite significant gains in girls’ education, women’s labour force participation remains below 40%, compared to over 80% for men. Women are more likely to step back from paid work after marriage or childbirth, not because they lack ability or ambition, but because systems assume they will absorb the cost,” Zaima said.

“This imbalance begins early. Girls are expected to adjust their ambitions around family needs, while boys are rarely taught that responsibility and care are shared obligations. Over time, this becomes structural, and progress stalls,” she added.

She called for men to actively support women’s empowerment. “Fathers, brothers, husbands, colleagues—they all have a role to play. Their support for women’s rights and achievements matters. Equality cannot survive on words alone; action is essential.”

Zaima also spoke about the challenges women face in public life, including harassment and exclusion. 

She cited that 78% of women in Bangladesh have experienced online harassment, limiting their public participation and leadership opportunities.

Zaima said real empowerment must touch every aspect of life—from homes to workplaces, schools to institutions, and policies to mindsets. “Only then can women contribute fully to sustainable national development and progress.”