Mon Janala celebrates women achievers with Alokito Nari Awards

Marking International Women's Day, an event was organised by Mon Janala yesterday. The event highlighted the importance of women’s confidence, self-respect, and self-care. The programme was titled “With Courage and Support, Now Is the Time to Move Forward”. 

The organisation mainly works with women over 40. Under the theme “Give to Gain”, more than 150 women entrepreneurs, professionals, teachers, and community leaders from different sectors participated in the programme, which ran from 3 pm to 6 pm.

Veteran actress Dolly Zahur attended the event to inspire participants. “I do not believe in despair, and I do not accept that our women believe in despair either,” she said. “We all come into this world with our own destiny. We must move forward—for ourselves, our children, our families, our society, and our country.”

Model and actress Sadia Islam Mou reflected on her professional experiences, saying, “Often women compete with other women. I have faced such challenges throughout my career. I never responded with words; I proved myself through my work. Sometimes ignoring negativity is the strongest response.”

She also emphasised the importance of self-care. “Not just women, every person should take care of themselves. If you do not value yourself, others will not value you either.”

Actress and Miss World Bangladesh titleholder Jannatul Ferdous Oishee attended the programme with her mother. Addressing the audience, she acknowledged the struggles faced by earlier generations of women and encouraged them not to let personal trauma hold them back.

Wellness and beauty consultant Dr Touhida Rahman Ereen spoke about women’s health and urged women over 40 to support one another.

Founder of Mon Janala, Mousumi Mou, stressed the importance of mental freedom for women. “Once women achieve mental liberation, they will also attain economic independence,” she said.

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The fight for gender equality in entertainment goes on

At the event, five women were honoured with the City Bank Mon Janala Alokito Nari Award 2026 for their contributions to women’s development. The recipients were Nabeghah Dordana, Zaheda Khanam, Badrunnesa Sarkar, Yasmin Shahadat, and Kaniz Fatema.

The awards were presented by Dolly Zahur, Sadia Islam Mou, Jannatul Ferdous Oishee, and Mon Janala co-founder Hasibul Karim. The event was supported by City Bank PLC and Ispahani Group.