Photo exhibition 'Empower Her: Cultivating Change in Agriculture' opens in Dhaka
A two-day photo exhibition titled "Empower Her: Cultivating Change in Agriculture," jointly organised by the Australian High Commission and World Vision Bangladesh, opened today at Edge Gallery, Gulshan, Dhaka.
Nearly half of Bangladesh's agricultural labour force comprises women. Yet, how many of these women own a power tiller, control land, or access formal markets? Across Bangladesh's fields, women are everywhere—sowing, weeding, harvesting—yet their contributions often remain unseen in agri-policy and financing systems.
Take the story of Shapla, a 30-year-old mother from Jamalpur. Widowed young, she struggled to provide for her two daughters with a small plot of land. Her fortunes changed when she joined a women's producer group supported by a project funded by the Australian Government and implemented by World Vision Bangladesh. Equipped with training, business planning support, and seed capital, Shapla purchased a mini power tiller—a bold stride into a traditionally male-dominated domain. Today, she provides tillage services to over 300 farmers, securing her family's nutrition, education, and future.
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Shapla's journey is not an isolated one—it offers a glimpse of what becomes possible when rural women gain access to tools, training, and networks they have long been denied.
"Empower Her: Cultivating Change in Agriculture" is more than a photo exhibition; it is a heartfelt call to place women at the very centre of Bangladesh's agricultural and food system transformation. It shines a light on the resilience, innovation, and leadership of rural women, urging all to move beyond token gestures towards meaningful empowerment.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Mr Jacob De Leon, Second Secretary at the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh, and welcomed by Mr Suresh Bartlett, National Director of World Vision Bangladesh. Organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australian Government, and World Vision Bangladesh, the exhibition invites visitors to witness stirring stories of change, challenge, and triumph from the fields of Bangladesh.
The exhibition runs from 26 to 27 April 2025 and is open daily from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at Edge Gallery, Bay's Edgewater, Gulshan 2, Dhaka.
