Give due recognition to women's contribution

Recipients of Ananya Top Ten Awards 2009 pose for a photograph with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and other guests at the prize giving ceremony at Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum in the city yesterday.Photo: STAR

Women should be given due opportunity to go forward and the recognition for their deeds has a positive impact on social progress as well as advancement.
The speakers said this at the prize giving ceremony of Ananya Top Ten Awards 2009 at Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum in the city yesterday.
Ananya, a fortnightly magazine, awarded top 10 women for their outstanding contribution to their respective organisations.
Speaking as the chief guest, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni called on the men and women to work together for welfare of the society.
“Women are repressed and oppressed in many cases, yet they are coming out of the home doing no less than their male counterparts,” she said, adding that such awards can honour those women who have great contribution to society.
Lauding the initiative taken by Ananya, the minister said women's contribution remains untold, the stories of their sufferings too; such recognition can multiply the effort of the women in their respective fields and make shining examples.
Noted economist Prof Abul Barakat highlighted the contribution of women in the society and pointed out some of his thoughts on the issue of their development and empowerment in the country.
The award recipients are: Rawshan Ara Bachchu for state language movement in 1952, Shila Momen for her contribution to education, Rinat Fauzia for classical instrumental music, Mauluda Begum in handicrafts, Shabnam Ferdousi for documentaries, Dr Fahmida Khatun for economics, Monira Rahman for social welfare, Tahniat Ahmed Karim for banking, Hosne Ara Begum for administration and Salma Haq for the welfare of children with disabilities.
Rawshan Ara said such an award is not meant for a single woman, rather it is the recognition to all the women for their deeds in different spheres of the society.
Tasmima Hossain, editor of Ananya, and Khandaker Ibrahim Khaled, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, also spoke.
Later, the award handover ceremony was followed by a colourful cultural programme.
Ananya has been giving awards to different accomplished women for 16 years in different fields.