The speakers came up with the view at the inaugural session of National Debate Festival 2019 jointly arranged by Action Aid and Prothom Alo Bandhushava at Daffodil International University (DIU) auditorium.
With the slogan 'Equality will bring about evaluation of domestic service work’, this year universities students across the country will partake in competition in six regions.
Israt Jahan, project co-ordinator at Action Aid said, “Women spend more than seven and a half hours daily doing household works. As a result, women cannot be directly involved in developmental or financial activities.”
Meghna GuhaThakurta, Executive Director of Research Initiatives, Bangladesh, said in her presentation that a survey in December last year showed that a woman has to do more than one and a half hours of household chores daily without any financial aid.
Eminent writer and assistant editor of Prothom Alo Anisul Haque said that household chores are not the only work of women.
“Equal participation of both men and women will bring peace to the family and society,” he added.
DIU Chairman Sabur Khan said that the youth can easily raise awareness about the issue through social media.
“Women should be respected and recognised for their work,” he added.
Prothom Alo Bandhushava President Saiduzzaman Roshan and Program Officer of ActionAid Noor Jannat Prama also spoke at the inaugural programme.
The debate will be held in five more regions (Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur and Chittagong) after Dhaka.