<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Women should be made skilled in the ICT sector for the progress of the society and the country, State Minister for Education Begum Shamsun Nahar Chapa said.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The demand for freelancing is increasing in a significant way but it is unfortunate that the participation of women in this sector in our country is very low," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The state minister was speaking at the discussion titled "Empowering girls with ICT skills and employment: challenges and opportunities" organised by Bangmata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Center for Gender and Development Studies of the University at Muzaffar Ahmed Auditorium of Dhaka University.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Keeping in mind the future employment opportunities and needs, a vocational education system is being developed for women, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The state minister also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted a plan to further develop Bangladesh in technology. According to this plan digital technology is included in both public and private sectors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr. Monjur Hossain, research director of Bangladesh Development Research Institute, presented an article at the meeting while professor Tanya Haque, director of Bangmata Sheikh Fazilatun Nescha Center for Gender and Development Studies, gave the welcome speech. Source: UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/fas</div>