Resilience wins her Joyeeta Award
Jatri Rani Barman, an auto-rickshaw driver, has won the Joyeeta Award in Sunamganj under the category ‘resilience against violence on women’.
She is among the five women who received crest of honour under different categories at a programme at district Shilpakala Academy on Monday marking the Begum Rokeya Day and two week-long activism following International Day for the Elimination Violence against Women.
Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Abdul Ahad handed over the crests at the event organised by the district office of Women and Children Affairs Directorate in collaboration with the district administration.
Jatri got the award in recognition for her starting a new life, leaving behind a past with long-time abuse by husband.
“I married a man of Sunamganj town following an affair 20 years ago. But happiness eluded me as he started torturing me shortly afterwards,” said the 39-year-old woman.
“When the time for delivery of my eldest son neared, my husband did not even accompany me to hospital. I went to hospital alone and returned home with the newborn. Later two other kids were born to us.
“As my husband did not work regularly, I decided to earn and learned how to drive auto-rickshaw,” Jatri said.
Early this year, she started living separately from her husband.
“I started driving auto-rickshaw on March 8 this year and continued the work. With the earning I maintain myself and my three children, who live with me,” she said.
Expressing happiness over the award, Jatri said, “Such honour will encourage women to stand against abuse and work for materialising their own dream.”
The government enacted many laws, rules and regulations for protection of women and children and is working to implement those properly, DC Abdul Ahad said in his speech at the award giving programme.
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