On Tuesday (December 9, 2025) morning, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus was present as the chief guest at the Begum Rokeya Day 2025 celebration and award ceremony organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
Like every year, this year too, four distinguished women have been awarded the Rokeya Padak in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to women’s education, women’s rights, human rights and women’s awakening. This year, Ruvana Rakib received the Rokeya Padak in women’s education (research), Kalpana Akhter in women’s rights (labor rights), Rituparna Chakma in women’s awakening (sports) and Nabila Idris Begum in the human rights category.
The Chief Advisor said, ‘The ideals that Begum Rokeya wanted to take us to, she beautifully presented in her speech, in her writing, the four awardees who received the award today, Rokeya, took our nation forward on that path. This is not just another award, this is a groundbreaking award. They have taken us to another level in front of the world. They are not only Bangladeshi, but they are the daughters of leadership of the whole world.’
Stating that it is necessary to not only remember Begum Rokeya in today’s event, but also to find out the failures, the Chief Advisor said, ‘Even after 100 years, we have not been able to create another Rokeya. This is our misfortune. We have not been able to implement the directions and dreams that she has shown. We have spoken but have not been able to move forward. We have to find out why we could not.’
The Chief Advisor highlighted the difficult struggle of women by reminiscing about teaching at Chittagong University and the beginning of Grameen Bank during the famine of 1974. He said, ‘The famine hits girls and children first.’
‘We saw that girls don’t know their names? Everyone knows them, so-and-so’s mother, so-and-so’s wife, so-and-so’s daughter-granddaughter. They don’t know their names. This is an example of how a section of society isolates itself from society. We fixed the names. We gave them sticks to teach them how to write their names. They learned to write their names by working day and night, shedding tears… This is the situation 100 years later. The dream that Rokeya had during that period 100 years ago cannot be believed. Today, many say, “Yes, she spoke beautiful words…” Not beautiful words, Rokeya spoke revolutionary words. She spoke to shake the society. But no one came to carry that shake. This is our misfortune.’
The chief advisor said, ‘Begum Rokeya did not do any work without the society. She always did it with the society in mind. Rokeya wrote 100 years ago, teach women and girls to study so that they can earn food. Why can’t we learn from there? We are organizing but we can’t learn. Only if Rokeya is with us in our daily path, then we can move forward.’
The chief advisor said, ‘When we studied at the university; there were many boys in Economics Honors, there were only four girls. There were no girls in some departments. Now go to any institution. Girl students are overflowing. I did some research. The number of boys and girls students at Dhaka University is now half and half. I asked, how many girls’ halls? I was told five. And there are 13 boys’ halls. How was this judged? Arrangements for girls’ accommodation should be made first.’
Calling for building a new Bangladesh by keeping women in mind, the chief advisor said, ‘Girls have shown their leadership in the mass uprising. Today’s women’s society is the post-mass uprising women’s society. It is a different women’s society. The journey of a new Bangladesh has begun with their hands. This women’s society will not only inspire women, but everyone. That is why it is necessary for us to keep women at a high level. Let our new Bangladesh be built by keeping women in the forefront.’
In today’s program, Principal Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus announced the change of name of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to ‘Ministry of Women and Children’. The program was presided over by Advisor to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Sharmin S Murshid. Senior Secretary Momtaz Ahmed delivered the welcome speech.
