Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called upon the global leaders to stop wars, saying that women and children are the worst sufferers of wars.
"We don't want any war. Not being a woman politician or a prime minister, as a mother, I am calling upon the world leaders to stop wars, stop the game of arms competition" she said.
The prime minister said the world has been witnessing wars --- firstly the Russia-Ukraine war and now Israeli attack on the Palestine.
She said this while addressing a gathering of the women entrepreneurs and leaders of women organisations of the ruling Awami League at Ganabhaban following the inauguration of the Joyeeta Tower in city's Dhanmondi area.
The premier said the women and children are the worst sufferers of the war, referring to her grave experience of being Pakistan army's captive along with her mother, only sister and three brothers during the War of Liberation in 1971.
"I had the experience of the dreadfulness of the war," she said, adding that she was pregnant while captive under Pakistan army.
"We had no furniture and we were not confirmed whether we would get food to eat at that time," she said.
At the function, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's younger daughter and Prime Minister's only sister Sheikh Rehana was present.
State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, the Ministry's Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman and Bangladesh Mohila AL President Meher Afroz Chumki, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Women and Children Affairs Ministry's Secretary Nazma Mobarek and Joyeeta Foundation Managing Director Afroza khan were also spoke.
A video documentary on the activities of the Joyeeta Foundation and construction of the Joyeeta Tower was screened at the function.
The prime minister earlier in the morning inaugurated the 12-storey Iconic Joyeeta Tower on one bigha of land involving Tk 168 crore in the city's Dhanmondi area to help empower women economically.
She also visited the Jamdani Gallery and Joyeeta Marketplace housed in the tower.
The Joyeeta Tower was constructed with the state-of-the-art infrastructure to ensure women's economic empowerment by involving them in various business ventures under the Joyeeta brand.
The government had already allotted one bigha of land in each division at a token price for the Joyeeta Foundation.
About inauguration of the Joyeeta Tower, Sheikh Hasina said they have built the tower to help grassroots’ women market their products easily and thus become self-independent economically.
"We had earlier established the Joyeeta Foundation to empower women financially," she said.
She quoted Bangabandhu as saying that “women empowerment is possible if they achieve economic independence through earning money for themselves”.
She also recalled the contribution of her younger sister Sheikh Rehana to helping women become entrepreneurs.
Briefly describing the measures taken by her government for women's welfare, she said her government is doing everything possible to empower and develop women from the grassroots.
"We have introduced the system of reserving posts for the women in union, upazila and district councils mainly to explore women leadership from the grassroots," she said
She said they have introduced the system of incorporating the name of mother alongside the father in giving identity of their children replacing the old one that only required father's name.
The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had given the country the constitution within nine months of the country's independence which guaranteed equal rights of the men and women.
She said there was the provision of reserving 15 seats for women in the constitution which is now elevated to 50 seats.
"Bangabandhu always believed in women empowerment. He reserved seats for the women in the parliament to flourish the women leadership," she said.
She continued that Bangabandhu had first appointed women in judiciary and police as the country can't achieve progress leaving women, accounting for half of the population, at home.
The prime minister said she later appointed women as judges of the apex court alongside posting women as superintendent of police and deputy commissioner despite opposition.
She said that being appointed as the first women SP, Rawshan Ara held dacoits risking her life and proving that women can work successfully in any position.
She also said the women have to realise their rights with their own education, talent and skill without depending on mercy from others.
"You (women) have to place your position by your own works based on education, wisdom and skill," she said, adding, "It will not be possible to secure your position by only shouting for rights."
The premier expressed her satisfaction saying the women now attained their own position in every step of the society by utilising their talents.
She called upon the women to bring every inch of land under cultivation against the backdrop of the global economic recession and rise in inflation.
"We have to grow our own food. So, grow whatever you can by utilising every inch of your fellow lands," she said.
The prime minister said her government had transformed the country into a developing and digital nation with their round the hours' of hard work and pragmatic and specific plans.
"Now the world considers Bangladesh as a model of development," she said.
She asked the women folk to be vigilant as none can hinder the ongoing development works.
She reminded the countrymen that the BNP-Jamaat clique had destroyed the country by making it a free ground for militancy, terrorism and corruption.
The prime minister said they are now on hot pursuit to turn Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.
