'13000 die a year due to delivery complications'

But her family did not let her go to any healthcare centre thinking that normal delivery is possible at home resulting in the death of the baby.

" I will not forgive my father-in-law as he did not permit me to go to any medical centre during these three most painful days of my life or even to my mother's house," Rahela told her gynaecologist Dr Shila Sen of Community-Based Medical College of Mymensingh.

Like Rahela many women in the country are void of safe motherhood and it is the responsibility of every family to ensure safe motherhood, said Dr Shila while speaking at a discussion titled 'Safe Motherhood: Women's Empowerment' in the city yesterday.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) organised the discussion at Cirdap auditorium to mark the Safe Motherhood Day.

BMP General Secretary Ayesha Khanam said motherhood is not the issue of women only. Family, society and the state should take the responsibility.

If the women's reproductive right is not ensured, it is impossible to ensure their empowerment, she added.

" The rate of maternal mortality is considered in the development index across the world where Bangladesh is lagging far behind," she said urging the government to take pro-active action to develop women's overall health condition as well as to increase social awareness in this regard.

Ayesha Khanam also criticised the women and children affairs ministry for not observing the day nationally.

While presenting the keynote paper, Dr Makhduma Nargis Ratna said according to the Bangladesh Demographic Health and Survey 2004 the maternal mortality rate in the country is 3.2 to 4 percent, and every year a total of 13,000 women die due to delivery complications.

Dr Shila said every day a total of 72 women die due to this preventable cause which must be taken care of.

According to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) the maternal mortality rate should be reduced to 75 percent and it would require implementation of all the programmes taken by the government, the speakers said.

They also demanded inclusion of adolescent and reproductive health in the educational curriculum.

The BMP also demanded increased facilities in every hospital for safe delivery and eradication of gender discrimination in healthcare system.

Presided over by BMP President Hena Das, the discussion was also addressed among others by Dr Laila Anjuman Banu and BMP representatives from different districts.