Women must be empowered through education and financial independence to ensure their rights, BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said today.Women need to be enlightened through education and become financially self-reliant to ensure their rights. Everyone must work together for women’s social and economic development, he said.Rizvi made the remarks before a rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka on Saturday (September 12), marking the 48th founding anniversary of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal. He said leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal are fully capable of taking responsibility for running the state.The leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal are not incompetent. They are equally capable of running the state, Rizvi said.He also urged BNP leaders and activists to inform the public about various programmes of the party. Referring to the proposed Family Card initiative for women, Rizvi described it as an important step towards women’s empowerment and a revolutionary initiative.Not everyone will become an MP or a minister, but your representatives are becoming MPs and ministers. Therefore, you are also part of the leadership, he said. Rizvi also recalled the role of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal in BNP’s past political movements, saying the organisation had previously caused “heart palpitations” for Sheikh Hasina. He urged its leaders and activists to work similarly to help implement BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s people-friendly and women-friendly programmes.