Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon women to discover their potentials and values defying all odds and obstacles.

“Women always think how they can flourish their merit and potentials... they have to take their own initiatives; they must not be dependent on others,” she said.

Hasina was addressing a programme marking the Begum Rokeya Day and distribution of Begum Rokeya Padak 2017 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The premier said building a society is not possible for men alone. “It's not possible to build a sustainable society keeping the women aside.”

With half of its total population comprised of women, a society cannot go a long way without their contributions, she observed.

Recalling the great role played by women during the Liberation War, Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken massive steps for women's emancipation and their development alongside rehabilitating mothers and sisters who suffered brutalities at the hands of Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators.

Following in the footsteps of Bangabandhu, the PM said, her government paid special attention to the development of poor, marginalised and underprivileged women of the society to expedite their empowerment.

She mentioned that Begum Rokeya had dreamt of a society where the women would be magistrates, judges and barristers. “Today, women are serving the country holding those posts.”

Hasina said her government first appointed woman secretary, superintendent of police, officer-in-charge of police and justice, and they all were doing excellent job.

Bangladesh's prime minister, deputy leader of the parliament, opposition leader, Speaker and some ministers are women, which is a rare example in the world, she added.

To build leadership from the grassroots level, Hasina said her government kept seats reserved for women at the union parishads.

The PM said Bangladesh has become a role model of development for the world due to massive women development, including adoption of women development policy, development and expansion of their workplaces, bringing the poor and distressed women under the social safety network and their empowerment at all levels.

A female Bangladeshi contingent was excellently carrying out their responsibilities at a UN mission, she told the programme.

The premier recalled the contributions of her mother to the country at various turning points of the nation's history as she always supported Bangabandhu from behind the scene.

Hasina said her mother suggested Bangabandhu not to get released from jail on parole during the trial of Agartala conspiracy case. As a result, the Pakistani rulers were compelled to withdraw the case and release all the accused.

The PM said her mother had also asked Bangabandhu not to take advice from the top Awami League leaders about his historic March 7 speech. She said Bangabandhu should rather say what comes from his heart.

The speech is now part of the world documentary heritage as it has been recognised by the Unesco, she added.

The children and women affairs ministry organised the programme, with State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki in the chair.

Freedom fighter and organiser Mazeda Shawkat Ali, also a recipient of the Rokeya Padak 2017, spoke on the occasion.

Four other winners of the prestigious award are journalist Mahfuza Khatun Baby Moudud (posthumous), artiste Suraiya Rahman, writer Shobha Rani Tripura, and social worker Masuda Faruk Ratna.

The premier handed over the prizes and certificates among the winners and their family members.

The government had introduced the award in 1995 after the name of Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, a pioneer of women's rights movement in undivided Bengal.

A leading feminist writer and social worker during the early 20th century, Rokeya was mostly famous for her efforts for gender equality and female education.