Published by The Daily Star | February 12, 2022  (Link Here)

Grameenphone intended to have four thought leaders address gender bias concerns prevalent in the society, bridging the gap among women from various walks of life.

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The programme shifted away from the traditional roundtable format. No host was involved; instead, the four women took charge of the programme and shared stories of their hardships and success while answering questions gathered from Grameenphone’s social media.

A post on Grameenphone’s Facebook page had urged women to come forward in the comments and put forth their questions on tackling the stigma and struggles on the path to becoming a woman at the top of their field.

From over a thousand comments, four questions were selected, one for each of the four women present.

The first question was directed at Barrister Miti Sanjana, asking her whether she ever faced a situation in her career where she was treated differently for being a woman.
“Sometimes clients have a tendency of referring to us as lady barristers or female barristers. We try to make them understand that profession is not gendered. Once, a client even asked me if I would be able to handle an important case as I was a woman. I retorted by asking him if he would be able to handle this case because he was a man, to which he replied that he is not a lawyer. The message I wanted to get across to him is that it is my professional qualifications that are important rather than if I am a man or a woman,” said Barrister Miti.

At this point, Sinthia Sharmin Islam’s phone dinged a notification. The second question had arrived for her.
“Women are discouraged from travelling. They are also told to go travelling once they are married. Can’t a woman share these memorable moments of her life travelling with her friends?” she read out loud.

Taking a moment to reflect, Sinthia replied, “I am from a very conservative family, and so was my mother. I’m not going to blame my mother for discouraging me from travelling because she herself had never gotten the opportunity or even seen other women do it. But this generation is different. We are seeing women travel alone, and they are aware of how to be safe when doing so. I will probably not discourage my son or daughter from travelling with their friends. As we cross generations, these preconceived notions about women travelling will be eradicated.”
Right on cue, as Sinthia finished her answer, the phone of Dr Fahreen Hannan buzzed.
“Many people say that there is no point in a woman studying a lot. If a woman obtains a higher degree, it becomes harder for them to find a husband. When a woman tries to break such social perceptions, she is called arrogant. Did you have to face such a situation when finding your own life partner?” the question asked.
“No, I did not face this issue because my husband is 12 years older than me. He had a lot of degrees already, and we were both doctors. But I have noticed that many of my friends who are doctors sometimes face this issue. People always have this idea that the husband must be superior and have a higher degree than their wife. Why should my husband be superior? He should be my equal, with whom I can share everything. This ideology has somewhat declined in the last 20 years, as people started to realise that education is important regardless of gender,” said Dr Fahreen Hannan.
At this point, Shwapna Bhowmick, Head of Country, Marks and Spencer, chimed in, “My decision is the one that should matter. If I want to hold a PhD and marry someone with only a BCom degree, that should be my decision. So, I think now is the time we must start expressing our opinions on issues such as these.”
The fourth question finally arrived as the phone of Shwapna Bhowmick rang.
“Now, women are faced with the dilemma of whether to embrace motherhood or pursue their careers. It is often said that working women are bad mothers, and that their children are not raised properly. How did you embrace the idea that motherhood would not interrupt your career?
“Are you crazy? How could I create this idea in myself? There are no methods or guidelines for tackling motherhood and a career simultaneously. When my son was only four months old, I had to go abroad due to work. This would be the first time I would be apart from him for a long period. Even my line manager told me that it was okay if I could not make this trip. However, thanks to the incredible support system of my mother-in-law and husband, I was able to fulfil my work commitment. This type of support system is essential for women”, said Shwapna.
At this point, the unseen narrator spoke up and asked, “What advice do you have for the women of this generation who are still facing obstacles?”
“Be authentic and original. Never portray a fake image of yourself.”
“Mind-set is crucial. Always focus on looking forward.”
“Education is the most important weapon, which can enable anyone to gain knowledge, qualifications and skills.”
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
These were the wise words of advice shared by Sinthia, Dr Fahreen, Barrister Miti and Shwapna one after the other.
The programme was a testament to what an uphill battle #BreakTheBias is. The organisers and speakers hope similar stories of overcoming gender bias inspire others towards a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.