10-member Women's Affairs Reform Commission formed

The government has formed a 10-member Women's Affairs Reform Commission with Shireen Parveen Haque, a founding member of Nari Pokkho, as its chief.

The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification to this end yesterday (17 November). The matter came to light today (18 November).

Other members of the commission are Maheen Sultan, senior fellow, Brac Institute of Governance and Development; Sara Hossain, executive director, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Blast); Fawzia Karim Firoze, president, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association; Kalpona Akter, president, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation; Dr Halida Hanum Akhter, women's health expert; Sumaiya Islam, executive director, Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra; Nirupa Dewan, former member, National Human Rights Commission; Ferdousi Sultana, former senior social development advisor, Asian Development Bank; and Nishita Zaman Niha, a student representative.

The commission will start its works soon and after taking opinions from all stakeholders concerned, it will submit its report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus within 90 days, the notification said.

The chief and the members of the commission will get status and salary and enjoy benefits to be determined by the government. But, if any one of them wants to work voluntarily, without taking benefits, he or she must take permission from the chief adviser.

On 17 October, the government announced the formation of four more new reform commissions on health, mass media, labour rights, and women's affairs.