Women achievers

FE Team | Published: April 07, 2012 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Farida Shaikh
It was on 10 March, 2012 when 10 women Bangladesh citizens were awarded for their endeavouring achievement and excellence. Theirs was a shining example of women who had dedicated themselves to accomplish the best. The annual Anannya Best Ten and Literary Award to women was made in recognition of this reality.
Anannya's mission has been to search and discover women whose performance and works have been devoted to wiping away the dismal darkness, gloom and ignorance from the women's world. 'Let there be Light' has been the motto of the women who worked thus.
Anannya has initiated and continued for the last 24 years in this pioneering role of identifying achieving women who are the inspiration and role model for young women in Bangladesh. In reaching this goal, a sincere and bias free approach has been the guide. During last 18 years Anannya has made annual awards for excellence and literature to 10 women of the country. Now past four years' special awards are made to 10 women for Life Time Achievement.
Anannya's Award for Journalism went to Baby Maudud who has been in this profession since 1963 working for the Ittefaq, Chitrali, Daily Azad and Bichitra. At present she works for online bdnews24.com. As a student leader she had actively participated in democratic movement. She is a full-fledged writer; her works include essays, short stories, novels and juvenile literature.
Social activist Setara Musa was awarded for life time work in the media-culture and voluntary work on spread of literacy. She was connected with Dainik Purbadesh and TV as a critique and wrote under a pen name in Chitrali. She was also connected with Sochitro Swadesh and Dainik Ajker Kagoj.
As an astute organiser and able human resource manager Zeenat Ara Bhuiyan won an award. At international level she has been connected with Women's Federation for World Peace. She is an expert on ceramic works. Awarded for athletic feats and sportsmanship was Zeenat Ahmed who got started as a sportswoman while still a teenager. Her activities also covered girls guiding. Previously Syeda Shamse Ara Hussain received the national award for the best teacher particularly for promoting education for women. The landmarks of her works are Begum Rokeya College in Rangpur and Siddheswari Girls' College, Dhaka. She got the Anannya award for Women's Education and as an able organiser.
Prominent woman personality Rokeya Mannan received award for Education and Social Work. For over five decades she had devoted her time and talent to school education. She was connected with more than five schools, the most prominent being Quamrunnesa, Viqarunnesa and Agrani Girls' School and College, Azimpur. Prior to her retirement from work she was the principal of the school that she had started. She was a founder member of Dhaka Business and Professional Women's Club and Hostel for Working Women. She also had set up a Day Care Centre for Working Mothers. Now it is with a heavy heart that we heard of the sad demise of this pioneering woman on 29 March. May her soul rest in peace.
For Social Welfare and Promotion of Women's Rights since 1960, Selina Khaleq was awarded with a prize. Eminent social science researcher and writer on economic issues affecting women Khaleda Salauddin was also an awardee. Anannya awarded Jowshan Ara Rahman for her work in the field of Development Research on Women.
Latifa Akhand was a pioneer in Social Development for Women. A scholar in History from Kolkata University, she single handedly managed for nearly twenty years Children's Welfare and Rehabilitation Centre.
Just as Anannya focuses on recognising women's achievement, close at home Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch is engaged in working for advancement of women's status. VSSM is a non-profit group that organised marriage for eight 18 years old women in 'village of prostitutes' Vadia, western state of Gujarat, India. Following this, the married young women are now free human beings! They are saved from the traditional profession of prostitution and flesh trade.
In a major Muslim country, Egypt, woman protester Samira Ibrahim sued an army doctor for carrying out forced 'virginity test' after women protesters were detained. The army outright denied such charges. However a senior general admitted that forced tests had been carried out. The army doctor was acquitted of the charges, as the judge found contradiction in the statement of the witness. Let us think how and what actualised such a happening? Most probably, it occurred as a male judge and a male doctor were involved in the court case and the male general 'though he was a witness' was ineffective as he was outside the court!
At home a prominent English daily's editorial writing pointed to commuting by public transport as one of the several challenges facing women particularly in Chittagong and Dhaka, Bangladesh. Women in the two urban areas confront situation where they are regularly groped or physically intimidated. To overcome such harassment it has been proposed that exclusive buses for women be re-introduced and the practice of courteous behaviour towards women be emphasised.
In just rethinking on the proposals brings to our mind that exclusive buses are a losing concern for the transport sector. Such simple information has often been circulated by the bus owners. So, introducing exclusive buses for women are not a viable proposition. One way out of this situation could be to reserve all the right side seats on some of the buses on some of the routes for women. Male passengers should give the right side seat for women exclusively. After some time it would be obvious if such arrangements are working. This will also indicate what next steps should be taken.
In addition to this it is important to undertake a behaviour campaign emphasising queuing up, slowing down, and be more lenient to the elderly, senior citizens, infants, children and persons with physical limitations. According to a regular commuter, already reasonably well-behaved persons are found to be travelling on the buses. And sometimes if rude behaviour occurs, the group in the bus quickly expresses disapproval and correction follows immediately.
In the western world the aim of the Young Women on the Move Conference was to identify challenges that affect female learning experiences. This conference, organised by the Toronto District School Board, TDSB also announced that girls and young women can do anything!
Canadian federal minister for the Status of Women announced: October 11 will be celebrated as the first International Day of the Girls. This happened after all the political parties gave unanimous support in the House of Commons to make the campaign a 'truly Canadian Initiative.' This has also been formally adopted by the UN General Assembly.
Women on the Move, is a network for enterprising women like women in business. Move On is Promoting Positivity in Women, to create a positive, inspiring and culturally diverse environment that encourages women to make it happen for them.
Women on the Move, is WOM brand, who strive to include women who are willing to make a commitment to Texas Executive Women, among whom are recognised ten outstanding women for their exceptional contribution to business and community services.
Women on the Move, is an ongoing process globally and is expected to touch and connect many countries all over the world prior to the celebration of the first International Day of the Girls, October 11 this year.
(Farida Shaikh is a sociologist and free lance writer. She can be reached at E-mail: farida_s9@optimaxbd.netw)