An Ode to Self Love

According to recent reports, a divorce takes place every hour in Dhaka city. In the last decade, the divorce rate has increased by a massive 34% throughout the country, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Some of the most common reasons stem from an inability to maintaining a conjugal life, drug addiction, extra marital affairs, incurable diseases, physical assault, dowry, premature marriage and infertility. Yet age old notions about divorce exist widely and very often women, especially, are stigmatised, even today. Somehow, the label of ‘divorcee’ is a social red flag, a mark one can’t remove. Breaking the taboo of divorce is essential, but so is giving hope and highlighting the importance of self love. It’s impossible to move forward, fight social stigmas or face scrutiny if we can’t at first love ourselves. Here, we celebrate self love on Valentines Day. The hardest and the most rewarding form of affection is what we show ourselves. GrameenPhone is the largest telecom company in Bangladesh and growing every day. It’s campaigns impact millions, creating a natural social responsibility. This particular campaign has struck a chord with many. It is important to remember that: life will often be unkind to us, so being kind to ourselves is the least one can do.