Women’s labour rights

Taslima Akhter, Bangladeshi activist, wins prestigious Rokeya award

Bangladesh

We are proud to announce that Taslima Akhter, President of the Bangladesh Garment Workers Solidarity (BGWS) movement and renowned photographer, is among one of four women to be awarded the prestigious Begum Rokeya Award 2024.

Awarded by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh, the award is conferred on women who have made exceptional achievements in advancing women’s  rights.

Taslima received the award in recognition of her advocacy work for women’s labour rights and for her moving photography capturing the struggles and resilience of women working in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh.

On being asked what receiving this award means to her, Taslima said:

Receiving this award is a really big achievement for me, especially after we got a new hope with the uprising movement.

Rokeya, one of the pioneer feminists and activists, did many things for women’s rights, including feminist writing, focusing mainly on women’s education, but she also emphasised issues of self-respect, which is very important for dignity. She tried to work within society to change society, so she is very inspiring.

We’ve grown up reading Rokeya, and we got the strength inside to raise caution against society, against state. So, it is a big thing. And alongside me, three other very respectable people got the award. I get strength from them also.

Now, we are feeling more responsibility about women’s rights, about workers’ rights. It’s a little heavy also. So, I think this is important for all of us. We dedicate our award to those persons who died in the July movement, the activists, the feminists, and the workers.

We extend our congratulations to Taslima for this well-deserved recognition!

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