“We have started their (war
criminals) trials. I want cooperation from mothers and sisters to implement the
verdicts,” she said while distributing the Begum Rokeya Awards on
Monday.
Hasina recalled women’s contribution to the 1971 War of
Independence.
“December is the month of victory of the Bengali nation,"
she said as she began her speech. "We clinched the final victory this month at
the cost of three million martyrs and the sacrifice of 200,000 mothers and
sisters.
“We hate the war criminals and their supporters, who were
responsible for rape, violence and torture against women,” Hasina
said.
She lambasted those trying to hinder the war crimes trials. “Do
they believe in independence?”
She asked the Opposition to shun the
politics of violence. "Today is Begum Rokeya's birth anniversary. If the
Opposition Leader had chosen to withdraw her blockade campaign on this today, we
would have been spared the taunt that this is essentially a fight between two
women," Hasina said.
She reasoned that no one would have ever branded it
a fight between two men had the parties been headed by them. "But now people say
this is a fight of two women because both I and the Opposition Leader happen to
be women."
The Prime Minister mentioned various development projects for
women taken up by her government, including the National Women Development
Policy 2011 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act
2010.
Hasina said women had proved that they were capable of working in
any position.
She stressed the government had launched several projects
to ensure women’s economic emancipation.
Paying rich tributes to the
legacy of Begum Rokeya, Hasina said it was just not enough to raise slogans. “We
must work for women’s emancipation.”
She said women were working in the
judiciary, executive, army, navy and air force and the police
department.
“How do women proceed if we don’t give them an
opportunity?”
She handed over this year's Begum Rokeya Awards to
Jharnadhara Chowdhury and Professor Hamida Banu for their contribution to female
education and women empowerment.
Jharnadhara Chowdhury is the president
of the Gandhi Memorial Institute. She was awarded Indian civilian Padma Shri
award this year.
Hamida Banu was a former professor of physics department
at the Chittagong University. She has worked in many government setups include
the Public Service Commission.
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