Out of a population of over 160 million in Bangladesh, approximately 107 million people live in rural areas. Of them, at least 50 million are women and girls. They form the backbone of the rural economy, working tirelessly—often 16 hours a day—for the well-being of their families, as per research. Yet, they remain invisible and undervalued, not given the dignity that they deserve. October 15 marked the International Day of Rural Women. The day was first observed by the United Nations in 2008, in recognition of their contribution to promoting rural development, maintaining food security, and addressing poverty within societies and families. At the global level, rural women produce 60-80 percent of basic foodstuff in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and they are involved in over 50 percent of labour in rice cultivation in Asia. Rural women perform 30 percent of the agricultural work in industrialised countries, head 60 percent of households as single mothers, and also meet 90 percent of water and fuel needs in many regions of Asia and Africa. Despite that, 500 million rural women in the world live below the poverty line.