Problem statement: Numerous micro-credit organizations have been emerged as the form of mushroom in Bangladesh in the recent times. All of them are providing micro-credit to the poor women with the view of poverty reduction and empowering the rural women. Thus, the researchers take an attempt to check that to what extent these micro-credit programmes are effective in empowering rural women. Approach: The study was attempted to assess the impact of micro-credit programmes in empowering rural women in Bangladesh. All women of Rampur village were the population of the study. Empirical data for the study were collected from 180 women of Rampur village under Palashbari sub-district of Gaibandha district by using structured questionnaire. Among these 180 women 50% were active members of MF NGOs and rest were individual housewives. Lists of micro-credit NGO women were collect from concerned MF NGOs and from these lists, respondent women were selected as random basis. Similarly, lists of the individual housewives were collected from union council office and from that lists respondent women were selected randomly. Results: The result of the study revealed that only 21% of the respondent women are empowered and rest of them is not yet empowered. However, among the empowered respondent women 69% of them are the active members of micro-credit programmes. The result of the study also explored that among the socioeconomic factors of the women institutional participation, media exposure and family land holdings are very important for women empowerment. While, micro-credit use by own self, duration of microcredit use and monitoring by the concerned MF NGO are found as significant factors for women empowerment who are associated with micro-credit programmes. Conclusion: It was therefore, recommended that if it was possible to provide micro-credit to rural women and monitor them regularly, that women by themselves use this money in productive sector then they must be attained empowerment either today or tomorrow.

The study was aimed to know the present status of rural women's participation and decision making role in economic activities (called EAs from here) in Bangladesh. The sample of the study consisted of 92 farm women from Rampur village of Palashbari upazila under Gaibandha district. Necessary data for the study were collected with questionnaire by personal interviewing of the respondent women covering all types of farm families (i.e., landless, marginal, small, medium and large). Result showed that among the agricultural activities rural women's participation was relatively higher in various post harvest activities and livestock management activities than other agricultural activities. On the other side, their participation was almost nil in the case of aquaculture activities while few of them participate in some selected non-agricultural activities like handicrafts making, tailoring and Nakshi katha making. It was also evident from the study that farm women were contributing in household income through participating in EAs. The result of the study explored that woman's personal income, institutional participation and training received by the women are the most influential factors for increasing the extent of participation of women in EAs. Findings also showed that in most of the cases women's participation in decision making process regarding various family affairs is lower than their male counter part. However, both in participation in EAs and decision making process NGO women were in the leading edge than the Non-NGO women

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Madhupur Sal forest is one of the major forests in Bangladesh which is also under intimidation of severe deforestation due to settlement of the ethnic people and encroachment for farming. However, deforestation is one of the major factors responsible for climatic change events like recurrent natural calamities and degradation of natural resources. Thus, a pilot project was taken in the forest area by Bangladesh Agricultural University to minimize carbon emission through introduction of low emission agricultural practices (vermi-compost and botanical pesticide) in crop production and to increase women's participation in social forestry program. It also introduced improved cooker in the study area for reducing amount of fire wood for cooking. Video mediated extension approach was used to teach the people of the forest community regarding the consequences of climate change on their livelihoods. Findings showed that, project beneficiaries are now impressively aware on consequences of climate change issues. Around 75% of them are now using own made vermi-compost and botanical pesticide in agricultural production mixed with social forestry, while 42% of them are using improved cooker which has significantly reduced amount of fire wood for cooking. This is ultimately contributing in minimizing the rate of deforestation. However, the project initiatives have created alternate income opportunities of the forest community people through safe and organic cultivation of vegetables and fruits in the leased land. On the other hand, this social forestry programme How to cite this paper: Sarker, M.A.,