Joypurhat, Nov. 14 -- Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Friday said that the country cannot progress if women, who make up half of the total population, are left out of the development process.

He made the remarks while addressing the opening session of a three-day first reunion of former cadets at Joypurhat Girls' Cadet College, where he attended as the chief guest in the morning.

Emphasising honesty, ethics and discipline, the Army Chief said, "Our dream is to produce capable cadets. We want female leadership and women's empowerment. Fifty percent of this country is women; excluding them while planning development would be wrong. That's why women must be trained and empowered with proper skills."

Addressing the new cadets...