‘Country can’t advance if women are excluded from dev’

Staff Reporter :

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Friday said Bangladesh cannot move forward if women — who constitute half of the population — are left out of the development process.
He made the remarks while inaugurating the three-day first reunion of former cadets at Joypurhat Girls’ Cadet College, where he attended as chief guest.

Highlighting honesty, ethics and discipline, the army chief said, “We aim to produce competent cadets. We want strong female leadership and women’s empowerment. With 50 percent of the population being women, leaving them behind in development planning would be a mistake. Women must be trained and equipped with the right skills.”

Addressing new cadets, General Waker-Uz-Zaman urged them to follow the legacy of their predecessors and continue contributing to nation-building.
He wished success to all cadets and ex-cadets participating in the reunion and encouraged them to dedicate themselves to serving the country.

College Principal Ariful Haque and Association of Joypurhat Ex-Cadets President Mousumi Shikha also spoke at the event. Joypurhat Deputy Commissioner Afroza Akter Chowdhury, Superintendent of Police Muhammad Abdul Wahab and teachers were also present.