PM urges women to discover their own potential
Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged the country’s women to discover their own potential and value defying all the odds and obstacles to stand on their own feet.
‘Women always think how they can flourish their merit and potential...they have to take their own initiatives, they must not dependent on others. There’ll be obstacles and hurdles, but women have to move forward overcoming all those,’ she said.
Sheikh Hasina said this while inaugurating Begum Rokeya Day and distributing Begum Rokeya Padak-2017 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city, reports the UNB.
The PM said this is not possible for men alone to build a society with their own efforts. ‘It’s not possible to build a sustainable society keeping the women aside,’ she said.
Hasina said in a society where women constitute half of the total population that cannot go a long way without the contributions of women. ‘So, all are needed equally to build and develop a society properly.’
She also urged all irrespective of men and women to devote themselves to the development of the country.
The Ministry of Children and Women Affairs organised the programme with State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki in the chair. Women and Children Affairs Secretary Nasima Begum delivered the welcome address at the function.
Recipients of the Rokaya Padak-2017 Freedom Fighter and organiser Mazeda Shawkat Ali also spoke on the occasion.
Recalling the great role played by women during the Liberation War, the PM said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken massive steps for women’s emancipation and their political, social and economic development alongside rehabilitating the mothers and sisters who suffered immense brutalities by Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators.
Following the footprint of Bangabandhu, Hasina said, her government paid special attention to the development of poor, marginal, under privileged and the uncared women of society to expedite their empowerment.
She mentioned that Begum Rokeya had dreamt of a society where the women would be magistrates, judges and barristers. ‘Today, women are now serving the country holding those posts.’
The Prime Minister said her government is the first to appoint women secretary, women SP, OC and women justice, and they are doing excellent jobs in their positions.
She noted that now Bangladesh’s prime minister, deputy leader of the house, opposition leader, speaker and a number of ministers are women, which is a rare example in the world.
To build leadership from the grassroots level, Hasina said her government kept seats reserved for women at the union level local government elections. Despite someinitial obstacles, over 45,000 women contested in the first election for 12,000 posts.
The PM said Bangladesh has become a role model of development to the world due to massive women development in the country, including adoption of women development policy, development and expansion of their work places, bringing the poor, and distressed women under the social safety network and their empowerment at all levels.
She mentioned that the name and fame of the women of Bangladesh are now around the world crossing borders of the country as the female contingent is excellently accomplishing their responsibilities at the UN Mission.
The Prime Minister said her government is imparting training to women on pisciculture, poultry farming agriculture, housekeeping, mushroomcultivation and honey and embroidery to expand the scope of their work.
Hasina said the success of the massive programmes of her government for women empowerment and their development has earned international recognitions one after another.
She recalled the contributions of her mother to various turning points of the nation’s history as she always supportedBangabandhu from behind the scene.
Hasina said her mother suggested Bangabandhu not to get released from jail on parole during Agartala Conspiracy case and held meetings with Pakistani rulers despite huge pressure from party leaders.
As a result, she said, the Pakistani rulers were forced to withdrew the case and release all the accused.
The PM said her mother had also asked Bangabandhu not to take advice of the top brass of the party about his historic speech of 7th March rather say which come from his heart for the welfare of people. And Bangabandhu delivered the best speech on 7th March which is now part of the world documentary heritage as recognised by Unesco.