Want to see more advanced Bangladesh: Speakers

Speakers at an event said Bangladesh is advancing despite many barriers and many opportunities lie ahead for the country.

They made the remarks while addressing an event organised by Prothom Alo at its office in Dhaka on Tuesday marking the International Women’s Day.

Tuesday marked the International Women’s Day. The theme of the day is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”

Addressing the event, Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Bangladeshi scientist Firdausi Qadri said, “We want to see advanced Bangladesh. There are many opportunities in Bangladesh. We, women and man together will go far.”

Prothom Alo organised a special event to celebrate the International Women’s Day every year. This year, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) senior scientist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Firdausi Qadri, and Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) executive director and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Syeda Rizwana Hasan were honoured at the event.

Firdausi Qadri received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2021 and Syeda Rizwana Hasan in 2012. So far, 12 Bangladeshis including four women have won the award. The other two women recipients are Tahrunessa Abdullah and Angela Gomes.

Prothom Alo editor and recipient of the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Award Matiur Rhaman greeted Firdausi Qadri and Syeda Rizwana Hasan with flowers at the event on Tuesday.

The programme started at 3:00pm at the Prothom Alo office. All women employees and senior staff of Prothom Alo participated in the event.

Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman greeted each woman employee with flowers at the beginning of the event. At that time, Prothom Alo staff Arafat Karim was singing ‘Amar Protichhabi’ by Aurthohin band and ‘Alo’ by Tahsan from the dais.

After the arrival of the guests, a group of Prothom Alo staff sang the songs “Anandaloke Mangalaloke” and “Aguner Poroshmoni”

A special report on five successful women was published in Prothom Alo on Tuesday. They were climate scientist Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury, collateral surgeon Ismat Jahan Lima, US government innovation expert Awalin Sopan, karate trainer Marufa Khatun and online English language teacher Munzereen Shahid.

Firdausi Qadri has worked on research and easy accessibility of cholera vaccine, thus, saved millions of lives. The Ramon Magsaysay Award committee said Firdausi Qadri was conferred the award for her “untiring contributions to vaccine development, advanced biotechnological therapeutics and critical research that has been saving millions of precious lives.”

And for Syeda Rizwana Hasan, The Ramon Magsaysay Award committee said, she was given the honour for her spreading “wide awareness that the ‘right to environment’ is part of the constitutional ‘right to life’ and her “uncompromising courage and impassioned leadership” in environmental campaign.

Addressing the event, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rhaman recalled the contribution of these two successful women. He highlighted the outstanding contribution in their respective fields.

Matiur Rahman said, “Firdausi Qadri has been carrying out the difficult task of scientific researches and dedicated her entire life to research. Her contribution and global recognition has glorified Bangladesh.”

“Syeda Rizwana Hasan has been courageously fighting against very dangerous opponents and we salute her fighting power.”

Mentioning Prothom Alo’s firm commitment to women’s rights, Matiur Rahman said, “We do not only publish news on violence against women but also highlight everything related to women that include their problems and solutions, and their achievements and skills at home and abroad.”

Prothom Alo would never be deviated from its goal to do impartial journalism, Matiur Rahman observed.

Speaking about her activism, Rizwana Hasan said, “I work on environmental justice while Prothom Alo is vocal about the freedom of press. And both issues are big political agenda. So there are similarities in my activities and Prothom Alo’s. Digital Security Act does not only control the newspapers, it also curbs our freedom.”

“There is a close connection between gender justice and environmental justice. As Prothom Alo fights against supremacy and patriarchy, so we also have a fight,” she added.

Firdausi Qadri said, “Prothom Alo is my favourite newspaper. I learn many things from it. Many news on people's bravery inspires me. One day it came to my mind that I work at the lab but I am not doing anything for people. Then I thought why we could not do anything in Bangladesh. If a vaccine is developed, we then hear it will be manufactured at a foreign country. Then it will go to Africa. Why would vaccine not be developed in Bangladesh? I did not develop the vaccine; I talked to people. Now, various companies are manufacturing vaccine in Bangladesh. I have worked on typhoid vaccine in such way.”

Recalling the contribution of Bangladesh and country’s people behind her work, Firdausi Qadri said, “Bangladesh inspires me for everything. Had I not stayed in Bangladesh I would have done nothing. ”

On the on-going Covid vaccination across the country, Firdausi Qadri said Bangladesh has demonstrated such a success that many neighbouring countries could not perform. Some 130 million (13 crore) people received vaccines and that was not an easy task.

A documentary on Firdausi Qadri was screened at the event.

Lawyer Miti Sanjana, physician Ismat Jahan, columnist and littérateur Afsana Begum, development economics researcher Maha Mirza, development worker Laila Khandaker and Nishat Sultana.

Prothom Alo feature editor Sumana Sharmin moderated the event.