President Mohammed Shahabuddin's wife Dr Rebeka Sultana on Thursday urged the girl guides to work for the welfare of people as she spoke at a function of Bangladesh Girl Guides Association here.
"Think better about your own self, family, society and above all people's welfare . . . and always do something," she said, speaking at the discussion at the Guide Auditorium of Bailey Road on "The World Thinking Day 2024."
Rebeka Sultana urged everyone to think minutely before making a decision.
Since 1926, the World Thinking Day has been celebrated on February 22 every year coinciding with the birthday of the founder of the World Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Lord Baden Powell and the World Chief Guide Lady Olav Baden Powell.
With the theme 'Our Earth, Our Prosperous Future: Environment and Global Poverty', this day is being observed with due dignity in Bangladesh and elsewhere in 153 countries of the world, amid holding different programmes.
By realizing the importance of the theme, Girl Guides would contribute as much as possible to building a clean, healthy, green, pollution-free sustainable world to create a prosperous future for them, Rebecca Sultana hoped.
The president's wife said, "We have to think about the struggle of freedom, liberation war and the spirit of the Liberation War. You should always think honestly, follow the right path, then you will surely be successful."
She said women folk have tremendously advanced in various professions, including education, culture, politics and business. But, there is no scope of self-complacency as the women will have to advance further, she added.
She also said, "We should remember that education without positive thinking is meaningless while thinking without education is dangerous as well".
There is still a long way to go in building 'Sonar Bangla' envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the developed, prosperous 'Smart Bangladesh' announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Rebeka Sultana said.
She said, "We (women) have to be economically self-reliant and take a lead at the family, community and national levels."
Referring to Bangabandhu's contribution to promoting Girl Guides in Bangladesh, she said the Father of the Nation realized the importance of this voluntary women's organization and gave it status as a full-fledged organization enacting a law in Parliament.
Bangabandhu made the late Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, a freedom fighter and former deputy leader in the Jatiya Sangsad, the first national commissioner of the Bangladesh Girl Guides Association, she mentioned.
The president as the chief patron of the Girl Guides is well aware of its guiding activities, she said, hoping that the women empowerment and their overall development would come further through Girl Guides.
The president's wife called Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a trained Girl Guide, saying the incumbent government is implementing various activities for the development of women.
Rebeka Sultana also introduced herself as a guide member during school life.
Following the unique field of voluntary social welfare, social development, women empowerment and leadership development, about 10 million guide members worldwide are working together to develop girls as creative and good citizens at domestic and international levels.
Dr Rebeka Sultana cut a cake and enjoyed a cultural function on the occasion.
National Commissioner of Bangladesh Girl Guides Association Kazi Jebunnesa Begum presided over the event.
Among others, Advisor of Bangladesh Girl Guides Association Zuena Aziz, Director General of Directorate of Madrasha Education Habibur Rahman, and Asia Pacific Region's President of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Chempaka Emalin Binti Pahamin, also spoke.
