Hill Voice, 7 march 2022, Special Correspondent: Tomorrow, March 8 marks the International Women’s Day and the 34th founding anniversary of the Hill Women’s Federation (HWF), a significant milestone in the history of women’s struggle for equal rights and equality in politics and economy against exploitation, deprivation, injustice and discrimination.
On this occasion, a rally and discussion meeting are going to be organized in Rangamati on the initiative of Hill Women’s Federation and Parbatya Chattagram Mohila Samity (Women’s Association). The rally is scheduled to start from the District Shilpakala Academy and end at the same place parading through the DC Office premises. A discussion meeting will also be organized in the auditorium of the District Shilpakala Academy after the rally. Central member of Parbatya Chattagrma Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) Goutam Kumar Chakma will be present as the chief guest in the discussion meeting.
Besides, CHT Citizens Committee President Goutam Dewan, eminent educationist Mong Sanoo Chowdhury, TIB Trustee Advocate Sushmita Chakma, journalist Sumi Khan, Chittagong City Corporation Councilor Rumki Sengupta, General Secretary of M N Larma Memorial Foundation Intumoni Talukder, Organizing Secretary of Rangamati District Committee of the Youth Association Sagar Tripura (Nantu), Central General Secretary of Parbatya Chattagram Pahari Chatra Parishad (Hill Student Council) Nippon Tripura, General Secretary of Chittagong Metropolitan Sangsad of Bangladesh Students Union Imran Chowdhury will be present as special discussant. Moni Chakma, Organizing Secretary of CHT Women’s Association will preside over the function. Individuals and leaders of many organizations and student organizations who believe in the progressive ideology of the society will also be present. The programme will be live screaming from the Facebook page of Voice Of PCP (https://www.facebook.com/keokradongpcp).
The United Nations has set the theme for International Women’s Day – “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. In the context of globalization, the United Nations has set the theme for this year to ensure global women’s rights to achieve a sustainable future for all. The United Nations believes that a sustainable future is not possible without gender equality. In the light of this UN theme and the existing reality of the Jumma Women’s Society in the CHT, the Hill Women’s Federation and the CHT Women’s Association have set their theme this year – “Women should be more involved in the movement for the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord to establish equal rights for women in society.”
The celebration of International Women’s Day began on March 8, at the suggestion of Clara Zetkin, the founder of the International Women’s Liberation Movement, at the Second International Women’s Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1910, organized by the world’s revolutionary and socialist women. The day was originally chosen in 1908 to commemorate the strike called by women garment workers in New York City to protest the inhumane conditions of work and discriminatory wages. Later, in the context of the ongoing movement for the awakening of women’s society and the establishment of their rights in the world, the United Nations recognized March 8 in 1975 as ‘International Women’s Day’ and declared the period from 1976 to 1985 as Women’s Decade. As a result, this International Women’s Day is gaining momentum and is playing an important role in establishing the just rights of women around the world and creating deep inspiration.
On the other hand, during the armed movement in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the Hill Women’s Federation was formed by the Jumma girl students under the leadership of Goirika Chakma, a Masters student of Pali Department and Shila Chakma, a Masters student of History Department of Chittagong University gathering at Room No. 13 of old Shamsun Nahar Hall of Chittagong University on March 8, 1988.
