Women Crossing Hurdles

On the corridors of power many women have been lucky enough to prove their worth and occupy the niches they
respectively deserve. You might think that years of organized public and private initiatives have finally paid off. But this is
only a fragmentary view of women’s position in Bangladesh. The complete picture has many holes in it needing further
attention. However, there should be no speck of doubt about the fact that women are being increasingly seen in pinnacle positions. They are crossing innumerable hurdles to accomplish the utmost becoming leaders in their respective fields. As a
Bnagladeshi we must take pride in the fact that now have a woman prime minister and a woman parliamentary head.
There are women leaders in the police forces and in the army; women are also thriving in both electronic and print
media; we have top-notch doctors who are women. In a country where the garment sector is the biggest foreign
currency earner, contributions of women technicians cannot be also be over emphasized. This issue is dedicated to their
achievements. Yet the challenge that is ahead of us is that in the burgeoning new sectors of businesses and services we need to ensure an exploitation-free environment. Only then in this expanding economic landscape women would be able to perform at
their best. Seen as the fairer sex — a view that cast an eternal shadow over their actual contributions in the society — women are
often stigmatized for being bold. Hanna Arendt once said that nature of beauty is such that there is no road back to
reality. Yet we at Colors believe that talent and beauty are qualities that do not have to be mutually exclusive — be that
in men or women.

Asiatic 360’s Managing Director Sara Zaker. We feel that her perseverance and talent have made her overqualified for
Lessons on Leadership. We salute Mithila Frazana for her passionate presence in the media as an embodiment of the
bold new woman as well; as for her sincere promotion of women’s cause. Among the three cover personalities we have
Maria Nur, who has made a name for herself by traversing an array of roles in the burgeoning new media.
This issue also looks at Sabira Mehrin’s unique enterprise that promotes tourism for women besides providing other
woman-centric services for the community. Esrat Karim Eve, another leader who with her enterprise for the masses is
dreaming about a poverty-free Bangladesh, is given the respect that is due her. Additionally, Colors meets Anima
bhabi, whose real name is Debra Efroymson, who left USA to settle down in Bangladesh, to ask her about what she finds
unique in Bengali culture. We have all the other usual segments in this March issue dedicated to women including how teens suffer when they feel alienated, what to give as a gift to your favourite woman, and how carefully one should think things through before deciding to tie the final knot of matrimony. Additionally, there is a close encounter with a pioneer in the insurance sector and the initiator of Green Delta Insurance Company, Nasir A. Choudhury.

March is the month that marked the beginning of a new dream — Bangladesh. At Colors we envisage a future when man and woman would thrive togetherly.

Zakaria Masud
Editor