BANGLADESH WOMEN POLICE OFFICERS NOW OFFICIALLY MEMBERS OF THE IAWP
Two BWPN representatives to attend IAWP 2009 Seattle

Jane Townsley, President of the IAWP, announced a "Welcome" the newest IAWP members - from the BWPN (Bangladesh Women's Police Network).  We first reported to you in May in our article IAWP Reaching Out (archive link here) that the BWPN through the United Nations Development Programme pledged to fund IAWP membership for officers of the BWPN.  We are pleased to announce that pledge has come to fruition with the first group of 200 new members of the IAWP.

Additionally, we welcome two of the BWPN representatives who will attend the IAWP 2009 Training Conference: Ms. Fatema Begum, Deputy Inspector General, Special Branch, Dhaka; and, Ms. Amena Begum, Additional SP, Chittagong, who became a member of the IAWP at last year's conference.   Ms. Fatema Begum is the President of the Bangladesh network and the highest ranking police officer in that country.

Bangladesh has become the first country in the sub-continent with a network dedicated to the promotion of the role of women in law enforcement.

The Bangladesh Police Women's Network is a forum to advance the interests of female police personnel, and is part of extensive reform work undertaken by Bangladesh Police with the support of United Nations Development Programme's Police Reform initiative.

Above maps courtesy of Lonely Planet Maps.