Dhaka: The government has announced the establishment of a 10-member Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, appointing Shireen Parveen Haque, a founding member of Nari Paksha, as its chief. This significant development was made official through a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the commission is composed of several prominent figures dedicated to advancing women’s issues in Bangladesh. The members include Maheen Sultan, a senior fellow at the Brac Institute of Governance and Development; Sara Hossain, executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast); and Fawzia Karim Firoze, president of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association. Other notable members are Kalpona Akter, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation; Dr. Halida Hanum Akhter, a women’s health expert; and Sumaiya Islam, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra. Nirupa Dewan, a former member of the National Human Rights Commi
ssion; Ferdousi Sultana, a former senior social development advisor at the Asian Development Bank; and Nishita Zaman Niha, a student representative, also join the commission.
The commission is tasked with commencing its operations promptly, engaging with relevant stakeholders, and submitting a comprehensive report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus within the next 90 days. The notification highlights that the chief and members of the commission will receive status, salary, and benefits as determined by the government. However, those opting to work voluntarily without benefits must secure permission from the chief adviser.
On October 17, the government had previously announced the formation of four additional reform commissions focusing on health, mass media, workers’ rights, and women’s affairs, marking a comprehensive approach to national reforms.