In a country where misogyny is deeply rooted into its very system, there are women who break biases on the daily. Culture, religion, norms and so-called ethics set this invisible boundary for women in Bangladesh; and this is not simply my take. I have been raised in liberal surroundings which has allowed me to fight against all the limitations set out for women.
Being a woman in this emerging, male-dominant world has been nothing if not challenging, yet there’s an element of excitement in all this as well. I have been labelled “ambitious,” “meticulous,” “driven,” and have even been told to have a lot of grit, all of which I have owned up to in my life without any hesitation.
My job is to empower women with the knowledge of strength and awareness of their own bodies. To be of the female gender allows me this capacity to explore my work involving more and more women every single week, month, and year. An entrepreneur, a fitness and strength coach, a single mother, a daughter and care-giver to my parents, these are the roles I have created for myself in the last two years of settling back in Bangladesh.
Women are unbelievably powerful, and I believe the best strength we carry is our softness within all of our strength, the ability to take on responsibilities and multi-task; and while we have it harder than men, it goes without saying that women are the creators of our nations. We birth, we nurture, we raise, and while we do all of that we also contain the potential within us to provide, build, and empower.
A woman has the power to achieve all the greatness she sets her sights on, but I feel that we need the correct surroundings to truly flourish in. An environment that would not hold us back from fulfilling our potential, an environment that can aid in our growth. Growing up, I was lucky to belong to a family where I was taught the same values as my older brother was, given the same freedom to become who I needed to be, no different to my brother.
Equal growth opportunities may be a dream not too far off as we move forward with time. That day is not too far where families inspire both their sons and their daughters to be self-reliant and encourage them to explore their strengths and weaknesses.
Looking back, I never thought I would be at a place in life that I am today. In light of Women’s Day this year, I am so grateful for this life and all the obstacles, opportunities, and the losses that I was able to turn into lessons. I as an individual will continue to do the work that I do because I see the impact it has on myself and all other women; and I will tirelessly work to help women become stronger inside-out.
My message to all the women in the world is to never stop believing in their dreams, and to know that no dream is too big to achieve. Against all odds, when we have to stand together, we should do so, even more to back one another and to ensure that we give each other the opportunity to climb the ladder to success. This world will always try to divide us, because united, we have the strength to achieve everything.
Nazia Hassan is an entrepreneur and a fitness and strength coach.