Bibi Russell, Taibun Nahar get Rokeya Padak

World renowned fashion designer Bibi Russell and late poet Taibun Nahar Rashid have been awarded with ‘Begum Rokeya Padak’.

Once a top model, the international exponent of Bangladesh's woven textiles, was given the award for her outstanding contributions to the hand-weaving industry and to the socio-economic development of weavers in Bangladesh.

Poet Taibun Nahar was posthumously honoured with the award for her contributions to women’s development and social services.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the awards at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday morning.

Ali Asgar Khurshid, son of poet Taibun Nahar, received the award on behalf of his mother.

Bibi Russell received the award in person from the prime minister.

Each of the two laureates was given a gold medal, a cash reward of Tk 100,000 and a certificate.

Their names as winners of the award were announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

This award is given every year as a recognition to those who contribute to expanding education for women, establishing their social rights and ensuring their socio-economic development.

The award is named after Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain, a noted feminist, philosopher, writer and social reformer in the history of Bengal.

On receiving the award, Bibi Russell said, “I’m very happy today. This award has come at a time when I needed some inspiration to move ahead.”

Born in Chittagong in 1950, Bibi graduated in fashion designing from London College of Fashion in the seventies.

She has since worked hard to assure the development of the country’s handloom industry and the welfare of the weavers.

After enjoying a period of fame as a model in Europe in the seventies, Bibi returned home to Bangladesh in 1990, nurturing a dream to develop the woven textiles industry.

In the course of her career, she has been repeatedly recognised as an extraordinary professional and activist.

Her endeavours to establish human dignity and eradicate poverty through the promotion of handloom designs earned her the UN-given title of “Designer for Development”.

Among national and international fellowships, she has also received an honorary fellowship of the Bangla Academy.

In 2010, she was given the National Film Award for costume designing.

Poet Taibun Nahar was born in 1919. Her name is involved in all the turning points of the country’s history -- from the Language Movement in 1952 to the fall of autocracy in 1990.

In 1948, appointed captain of the National Guard, she taught college girls to shoot with rifles, besides teaching first aid and giving training on nursing.

In 1952, she became a target of the then Pakistan government for writing poems in Bengali.

In 1954, she was president of the Awami League in Khulna.

In 1971, she had to go into hiding for nine months when the Pakistan army learnt that she was training women to be guerrillas in Dhaka.

After the war, a women’s team led by Taibun Nahar accorded a guard of honour to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 26, 1972.

She was later given the honorary degree of ‘Doctors of Humane Letters’ by a US university for her social services.

Taibun Nahar earned a great reputation through her writings. In 1950, she received the title of ‘Kabiratna’ from Kolkata-based Gourabanga Sahitya Parishad for her contributions to Bengali literature.