Addressing the publication ceremony of 'Gender Atlas of Bangladesh' at a city hotel on Monday, Moniruzzaman said the atlas shows that the population of the country would turn into human resources soon.

The 'Gender Atlas of Bangladesh' was prepared by Prof Shahnaz Huq Hussain, Amanat Ullah Khan and Dr Janet Momsen under a collaborative project of Dhaka University, Virginia Tech University and the University of California with the support of USAID.

Based on the data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), WHO and BDHS, the atlas contains features of demography, education, health and nutrition, work and employment, risk and vulnerability, quality of life as well as gender, empowerment and development.

Among the 72 maps, 30 have depicted women's issues, which would be very useful for development practitioners, said Prof KBS Rasheed.

Terming the atlas a timely publication, Prof Monirul Hoque, a member of the University Grants Commission, said it also portrays the discrimination between men and women in the country.

President of Coastal Area Resource Development and Management Association Hasna J Moudud, Prof Nazma Chowdhury and Prof Ayesha Banu were also present at the ceremony.