Professor Dr. Taslima Monsoor, Professor and Advisor to the Department of Law, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), and President of the Bangladesh Bioethics Society, participated in the 24th Asian Bioethics Conference held at the State University of Bangladesh (SUB) from 5–7 February 2026. The Conference brought together national and international scholars, policymakers, and experts to deliberate on the theme: “Bioethics in Building Nation-States.”

Professor Monsoor was invited as a distinguished speaker and played a significant role in the Conference proceedings. She delivered the Opening Speech at the Inaugural Ceremony and also addressed the audience at the Closing Ceremony, underscoring the importance of ethical foundations in state-building processes.

In her message for the Conference journal, Professor Monsoor emphasized that bioethics is not merely a policy pronouncement but an integral foundation of policymaking, research, health systems, and governance. She highlighted that in building a sustainable and just state, bioethics serves as a moral compass grounded in fairness, accountability, equity, solidarity, and human dignity. Referring to Asia’s cultural diversity, economic inequality, and rapid technological advancement, she noted that bioethics can function as a bridging framework that translates global ethical norms into local realities. She further expressed the Conference’s commitment to strengthening regional and interdisciplinary dialogue for fostering a just, humane, and ethical state.

During the academic sessions, Professor Monsoor presented a paper titled “Violence against Women: The Gendered Inequality and its Legal Connotations” (Presentation Preference: Oral). The paper examined violence against women as a deeply rooted social and legal issue in Bangladesh. It highlighted that while crimes against women are not novel, the early 1980s marked growing public recognition of dowry-related violence as a major social problem. The paper noted that cruelty towards women has reportedly increased significantly over the years and that violence against women is closely linked to entrenched patriarchal structures and gender inequality within society.

The presentation underscored that a substantial number of women do not report incidents of violence due to shame, fear of disbelief, or further victimization, resulting in a lack of systematic research and comprehensive statistics. It also discussed aggravated modern forms of offences against women, including acid throwing, dowry-related murder, and cyber-crimes, alongside conventional forms of violence. The paper argued that popular support against gender-based violence should be grounded in the recognition of women as equal citizens and human beings, rather than relying solely on conventional protective narratives.

Professor Monsoor’s active engagement and scholarly contribution at this prestigious regional forum reflect AIUB’s continued commitment to academic excellence, ethical discourse, and leadership in addressing pressing socio-legal and bioethical issues at national and international levels. Her participation further strengthened the presence and reputation of AIUB within regional academic and policy-making communities.