Bangladesh High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem has been awarded with the ‘Women of the Decade in Public Life and Diplomacy 2021’ by the Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (WICCI) at the Women Entreprenurs’ Summit 2021.
The summit was organised vritullay by the Bangladesh-India Business Council of Women’s Indian Chamberof Commerce and Industries (BIBC-WICCI).
The award was virtually handed over to High Commissioner Tasneem by Education Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Dipu Moni at the closing session of the 2-day Summit.
Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and the Education Minister were also recipients of the WICCI Award for 2021 in different categories.
On receiving the award, Tasneem dedicated it to Bangladesh’s grassroots women who struggle everyday as farmers, fisherwomen, garment and construction workers, domestic aide or migrant workers.
In her comments, High Commissioner Tasneem paid a deep tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for championing women in politics in the 60s and 70s, his humanitarian support to rehabilitate sexually violated women and war-babies from the 1971 War of Liberation and for Article 28 of the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights of women, and expressed her deep gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for triggering a social revolution in the story of women empowerment in Bangladesh over the past one decade.
She said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ranked a top global influencer by Forbes and Fortune 100, is leading by example as an Agent of Change and Woman Empowering Woman making Bangladesh a topper in WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index.
The prestigious WICCI Award recognising pioneers, leaders and role models in their respective entrepreneurial and professional spheres were earlier awarded to eminent global personalities including Malta President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla Miranda, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, among others.
Chaired by Dr. Mipu Moni the closing session of the Summit was also participated by Cherie Blair, Chancellor of Asian University Bangladesh.
Ambassador for Japan to Bangladesh Naoki Ito, UN Resident Coordinator to Bangladesh Mia Seppo, WICCI Founder President Dr. Harbeen Arora and President of BIBC WICCI Mantasha Ahmed.
