"I hope that the women will play important role in this process and become role models for their male counterparts," he said while speaking as chief guest at a seminar titled 'Women in decision making.'

The international seminar was organised by Bangladesh Audit and Accounts Cadre Women Forum in association with the office of Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, Financial Management Reform Programme, Ministry of Finance and United Nations Population Fund at Sheraton Hotel in the city.

Dr Islam said there is legal recognition of equal rights of men and women, but it is not enough, rather only a pre-condition.

An environment should be created so that the women can enjoy the instruments for equal rights, he added.

The adviser said participation of women in administration and private sector has significantly increased making remarkable progress in mainstreaming them.

"We, however, are not at the stage when we can have complacence. We still have large number of illiterate women and many are subjected to harassment and dowry," he said.

National Health Care Network Chairman Prof Hajera Mahtab in her presentation in the business session said the women of Bangladesh are practically outside all the three components of power and are bystanders to national decision-making, policy formulation and execution.

She called for such an electoral system that will encourage political parties to integrate women into elective and non-elective public positions in same proportion and at same level as men.

In the keynote presentation, Finance Controller Army Fahmida Islam stressed the need for necessary exposure and training for making women's participation in politics effective.

"Specific legislation and guidelines specifying the roles and responsibilities of women members should be issued as soon as possible," she said, adding that changes in attitude towards girl children and orientation of mindset of boy children should be given importance.

"Sons must be trained to share caring responsibilities. Daughters must be exposed to decision making factors so that they can think and develop themselves independently," Fahmida noted.

Speaking as special guest at the inaugural session, Acting Country Representative of Department for International Development (DFID) Elizabeth Carriere said development will not have its actual impact unless men and women equally share it.

"If a woman is educated, she will give birth to a healthy child who will in turn become an educated human being," she said, adding that equal access to men and women in every sphere of life therefore is very important.

Nurun Nahar, director general of Defence Audit Directorate, said, "Human development is not possible without improving the status of women. And this can be achieved through ensuring their full, equal and effective participation in decision making at all levels."

Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh Asif Ali, UNFPA Representative Pornchai Suchitta, Auditor General of Brunei Darussalam Datin Paduka Hajah Salmah Binti Haji Hanifiah, and Director of public reporting audit of Scotland Barbara Hurst also spoke on the occasion.