The Awami League and grand alliance under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina achieved a landslide victory on December 29, 2008 national election. On January 6, 2009, grand alliance, led by the Awami League, formed government. Sheikh Hasina became prime minister for the second time when Awami League formed government after winning the January 5, 2014 general elections. In the general election on December 30 in 2018, the people of Bangladesh again gave their mandate to the Awami League to form government for a record third straight term. Awami League President Sheikh Hasina became the prime minister for the fourth time and third in a row. The journey is still continuing against all the odds.
You can also read: Sheikh Hasina’s Vision for Empowering Women
The government, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, has made unprecedented development and progress in the country in the last 13 years and Sheikh Hasina’s leadership has become essential for the welfare of the women of Bangladesh.
I am Miti Sanjana, an advocate of Supreme Court of Bangladesh. I am a women right advocate. The journey of the women of Bangladesh has not been a smooth one. From my professional experience I frequently witness that women in Bangladesh constantly face domestic violence, eve teasing, deprivation from property, workplace harassment, discrimination in the workplace with lower wages and limited opportunities for career advancement. This limits women’s opportunities for personal growth and development and their ability to participate fully in society.
Under the regime of Sheikh Hasina, women of Bangladesh have made a significant contribution to the progress of the country. They have advanced in different sectors. In Bangladesh, women have been the heads of the government for almost the last three decades. Bangladesh is one of the few countries in the world that has a woman prime minister, a woman speaker of Parliament, several cabinet ministers and female parliamentarians. Women empowerment is another remarkable success of Sheikh Hasina. This is for the first time in Bangladesh that large number of women is holding high offices.
Bangladesh is ahead of India in all indexes of gender equality and empowerment. Formulation of women-friendly state policies by the Sheikh Hasina government brought about radical change in their social and legal status.
Men in a Bangladeshi family dominate women in many ways. Their individual freedom, right to move or to get an education, employment everything is hindered in many ways. HPM Sheikh Hasina is the one who raised her voice against the challenges and had the vision for the emancipation of Bangladeshi women when many were not even aware about their own rights. The empowerment programs, laws, and real-world examples that have impacted Bangladeshi women’s lives and helped them move toward a better future.
Famous economist and philosopher Amartya Sen said “Education could be a great vehicle for gender equity. It allows people to see what your rights are by reading.”
Sheikh Hasina recognized the importance of women’s economic independence. She also recognized that girl’s education is the key to women’s economic interdependence. Under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh made great progress in female education.
The obsolete customs and beliefs that have shaped the role of girls and women in third world countries and restricted them to household chores can only be broken free from with the enhancement of girl education.
Sheikh Hasina is a trailblazer in empowerment of women. She is a role model for the women who want to pursue their dreams against all sorts of intolerance and religious bigotry. She is a guiding light for thousands of Bangladeshi women.
