Wednesday, November 23
09:00 – 09:50 - Grand Ballroom
Plenary Session: The Shackled Privilege of Patriarchy and the Myth of Women’s Empowerment in South Asia
09:50 – 10:10 - Grand Ballroom
In the news today, we see women defiantly setting their headscarves on fire and cutting their hair in public to chants of “Woman, life, freedom.” Even after so much progress, inequalities based on caste, class, religion, ethnicity, and geography are exacerbated throughout the world by severe gender-based discrimination that stifles progress and development for both girls and boys. Existing data show that, despite significant advances (particularly in education and health), substantial gender disparities exist in South Asia as well. Patriarchal attitudes and social norms tend to favor men’s access to opportunities and control over resources in all South Asian countries. How can governments and private entities work together in a multilateral format to find concrete solutions to the regressive societal frameworks that hold back people of all genders?
Shama Obaid, Organizing Secretary, Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Vidiya Amrit Khan, Deputy Managing Director, Desh Garments Limited, Bangladesh
Mariyam Nasir, Director General of Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Maldives
Kamakshi Wason, Vice President and Director of Academic Programs, Tillotoma Foundation, India
Rashna Imam, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court
Mahjabeen Khaled, Former Member of Parliament, Bangladesh (Moderator)
Ministerial Speech: Conl. Zaheed Farooque (Retd.) MP, State Minister for Water Recourses
10:00 – 10:50 - Grand Ballroom
Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque MP, Minister of Agriculture, Bangladesh
Plenary Session: Curated Growth: The Role of ODA and PTA in Shaping South Asian Economies
10:50 – 11:00 - Grand Ballroom
In terms of receiving Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the largest donors in the world, the South Asia region has persistently remained among the top. Perhaps due to this foreign economic interest, the region is developing rapidly in terms of infrastructure and other mega projects. Despite this, the per capita GDP in South Asia is still lagging behind. What are the ramifications of such foreign investment among the nations of South Asia? What could be the possible strategies being pursued on the part of the different parties stemming from this economic aid focus? What exactly is the nature of the financial aid being poured into South Asia? And how effective is ODA in reducing the wealth gap between nations?
Charles Whiteley, Ambassador of European Union Delegation to Bangladesh
Yoshikazu Kato, Research Fellow, Rakuten Securities Economic Research Institute, Japan
Dr. Salim Mahmud, Secretary of Information and Research, Bangladesh Awami League
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Former Commerce Minister, Bangladesh
Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Country Economist, UNDP Bangladesh
Parvez Karim Abbasi, Assistant Professor of Economics, East West University, Bangladesh (Moderator)
Closing Session:
Zillur Rahman, Executive Director, Centre for Governance Studies and Chair, Bay of Bengal Conversation
11:00 – 11:30
Tea / Coffee - Ballroom Foyer