Dhaka, Nov. 15 -- Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Friday said Bangladesh cannot move forward if women - who constitute half of the population - are left out of the development process.He made the remarks while inaugurating the three-day first reunion of former cadets at Joypurhat Girls' Cadet College, where he attended as chief guest.

Highlighting honesty, ethics and discipline, the army chief said, "We aim to produce competent cadets. We want strong female leadership and women's empowerment. With 50 percent of the population being women, leaving them behind in development planning would be a mistake. Women must be trained and equipped with the right skills."

Addressing new cadets, General Waker-Uz-Zaman urged them to foll...