Staff Reporter: The seminar entitled “Equality in the Workplace for Engineers: Human Rights, Gender-Based Violence and Justice,” was organized by the Women Engineers Chapter (WEC) of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) at the IEB headquarters in Ramna at yesterday,

Addressing the seminar as chief guest, Engr. Mohammad Reazul Islam (Rezu), president of IEB and chairman of RAJUK, said workplace equality must be reflected in daily practice, not remain confined to policy documents. “Engineers play a vital role in nation-building, but discrimination within the profession weakens not only individuals but institutions themselves,” he said, adding that professional organizations like IEB must take firm positions against harassment and injustice, says press release.

He stressed that inclusion and equality are prerequisites for sustainable development, calling for leadership accountability and ethical governance to ensure safe and respectful work environments.

Speaking at the seminar, Engr. Md. Rezaul Karim, Chairman, Power Development Board (PDB), said increasing the participation of women engineers is essential for strengthening the engineering sector. “We need more female engineers. In our workplaces, we receive strong professional support from women engineers, and their contribution is significant,” he said. He added that institutions must prioritise women engineers and extend all possible support to ensure their professional growth. “Women’s engineering must go ahead, and we must try our level best to help and support female engineers at every stage,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Lubna Zahan, district and sessions judge at the Ministry of Law, said gender-based violence in professional settings often remains underreported due to fear, stigma and power imbalance. “Many victims choose silence because the justice system appears inaccessible or biased,” she said, emphasising the need for confidential complaint mechanisms and victim-centred legal processes. She also pointed out that lack of awareness about legal rights among professionals, including engineers, significantly discourages reporting.

Another keynote speaker, Nusrat Jahan Mukta, superintendent of police of Bangladesh Police, said harassment and violence at workplaces should never be treated as private or internal matters. “Violence and discrimination at work are both criminal and social issues. Law enforcement agencies must respond promptly, and institutions must cooperate instead of protecting offenders,” she said. She underscored the importance of coordination between professional bodies, law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to ensure justice.

An insightful and interactive panel discussion was held on gender equality and the role of IEB in the development of women’s leadership. Engr. NazifaTasnim, Member, Women Engineers Chapter, IEB was the panel moderator.

From the private sector perspective, Engr Naznin Akther, director of SOLARIC Group, said employers must actively create safe, inclusive and discrimination-free workplaces. From govt. sector perspective Engr. Muhammad Abdul Kawser, MCIPS, DGM (Prepaid Meter O&M), Titas Gas T&D PLC highlighted the roles of GRS and importance of mandatory ethical and code of conduct training at workplaces. Prof Dr Engr Md Sabbir Mostafa Khan, honorary general secretary of IEB, emphasized institutional responsibility in ensuring equality, justice and ethical governance across the engineering profession. Engr Khan Manjur Morshed, vice-president (academic and international) of IEB, highlighted the need for stronger integration between academia and professional practice to promote human rights education and gender sensitivity among future engineers.

The special guest of the seminar Engr. A. T. M. Tanbir-UlHasan (Tamal), Vice President (Admin & Finance), IEB highlighted the social and religious responsibilities towards human rights and gender-based violence on his speech. Another special guest Engr. Niaz Uddin Bhuiyan, Vice President (Service & Welfare), IEB appreciated the initiative of Women Engineers Chapter and mentioned that this was the first seminar on this type of topic at IEB. He emphasized on prevention over cure. Engr. Shaikh Al Amin. Vice- President (HRD), IEB emphasized the importance of women’s empowerment and inclusion in the engineering profession. He opined that this initiative should begin from within the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) itself, highlighting the need for greater representation of female engineers in the IEB Executive Committee (EC) panel.

Participants agreed that achieving workplace equality requires collective action involving policymakers, employers, professional organisations and individuals. They called for regular training on human rights and gender sensitivity, independent grievance redress mechanisms and stricter enforcement of existing laws.

The session was moderated by Engr. DilrubaFarzana, Vice-Chairman, Women Engineers Chapter. She reiterated WEC’s commitment to advocacy, mentorship and safe professional spaces for women engineers.

A special segment was conducted by Engr. Fariha Islam Mou, Member of WEC-IEB, to honor the memory of late Engr. Munmun Khan. The side events included a reflective session revisiting WEC’s journey in recognition of its outstanding contributions in 2025, followed by a visit to stalls exhibited by women engineering entrepreneurs and sponsors.

Engr. NazifaAnzum Nabila and Engr. Rimi Rashid, Members, WEC-IEB handed over souvenirs to the honorable guests. The seminar concluded with renewed commitment from WEC and IEB to continue advocacy and dialogue on equality, safety and justice for engineers across the country.

The event was attended by engineers, legal experts, law enforcement officials and representatives from various professional sectors.