Nadia Sharmeen

Bangladeshi journalist

Nadia Sharmeen

নাদিয়া শারমিন

Sharmeen holding her International Women of Courage Award (March 2015)

Occupation| Journalist
Employer| Ekattor TV
Awards| International Women of Courage Award, 2015

Nadia Sharmeen (Bengali: নাদিয়া শারমিন) is a Bangladeshi journalist. In 2015, she won the US State Department's International Women of Courage Award.[1]

## Biography

[edit]

Sharmeen receiving the IWOC Award in 2015

From the time she was in Middle School, Sharmeen wanted to become a journalist. In 2009, she joined the Bangladesh press corps and became a crime reporter.[1]

In 2013, Sharmeen was covering an Islamist organisations rally for her employer Ekushey Television, when she was attacked by the Hefazat-e-Islam activists. The rally was being held to demand restrictions on the open association of males and females in the same space, punishment of atheists, wearing of scarves by women, and other religiously based precepts.[2] The Hefazat activist's 13-point demand list specifically called for the government to abandon the current Women's Policy, which had been designed to create gender equality.[3] While there were no reported incidents of violence between activists and police, journalists were attacked and tortured in many places in Dhaka and Chittagong,[4] as were women garbage collectors.[2][5] Sharmeen's attackers targeted women who were not wearing the hijab. Nadia believed she was attacked, "only because I am a woman".[6]

The 50-60 men who attacked chased her and pelted her with water bottles and pieces of brick. When she fell, others punched and beat her. Several male reporters and cameramen tried to save her and themselves became targets of the mob.[4]

Sharmeen was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for emergency treatment and once stabilized was moved to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital. Within days, a report was filed with the thana,[7] but no arrests had occurred as late as July, 2013 when Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh petitioned the high court for relief for Sharmeen. The court called for arrest of the perpetrators and ruled that the government was responsible for covering her medical care, whether inside the country or abroad[8] Nearly two years after the event, no identifications nor arrests have occurred.[1]

After her recovery, Sharmeen returned to work as a crime reporter[1] for a different news agency. She now works at Ekattor TV.[9] Her attack has strengthened the resolve of women's rights activists, who immediately following the assault staged several rallies, with the support of various press clubs, the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA) and other organizations.[10] In 2014, her story was used as part of the global campaign One Billion Rising for Justice by activists to urge the Bangladeshi government to implement CEDAW protections.[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Biographies of 2015 Award Winners". U.S. State Department. March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
2. ^ a b Bashar, Reazul; Chowdhury, Moinul Hoque; Mujtaba, Golam; Siddiqui, Faizul (6 April 2013). "Women denied entry to Hifazat rally area". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
3. ^ "ASK strongly protests and criticizes the attack on female journalist by Hefazat-a-Islam". Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK). 9 April 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
4. ^ a b Bidhan, Probir (2 August 2013). "Journalist Nadia Sharmeen, Shahbagh and Islamisation". GroundReport. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
5. ^ Nasreen, Taslima (7 April 2013). "Islamists physically attacked and abused women, snatched their phones, looted their money". No Country For Women. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
6. ^ "Bangladesh: Action needed now to stop gender-based violence against journalists". Article19. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
7. ^ "60 sued for attacking ETV journo Nadia". Dhaka Tribune. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
8. ^ "HC orders arrest of Nadia Sharmin's attackers". Dhaka Tribune. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
9. ^ "Bangladeshi journalist receives International Woman of Courage Award". nextnewsbd.com. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
10. ^ "Assault on female journo incites outrage in B'desh". The Daily Star. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
11. ^ "End to violence against women demanded". JournalBD. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Sharmeen's remarks at the International Women of Courage Awards ceremony in 2015

* v
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International Women of Courage Awards

2007|

* Ruth Halperin-Kaddari
* Jennifer Louise Williams
* Siti Musdah Mulia
* Ilze Jaunalksne
* Samia al-Amoudi
* Mariya Ahmed Didi
* Susana Trimarco de Veron
* Mary Akrami
* Aziza Siddiqui
* Sundus Abbas
* Shatha Abdul Razzak Abbousi
* Grace Padaca

2008|

* Suraya Pakzad
* Virisila Buadromo
* Eaman al-Gobory
* Valdete Idrizi
* Begum Jan
* Nibal Thawabteh
* Cynthia Bendlin
* Farhiyo Farah Ibrahim

2009|

* Wazhma Frogh
* Norma Cruz
* Suaad Allami
* Ambiga Sreenevasan
* Hadizatou Mani
* Veronika Marchenko
* Mutabar Tadjibayeva
* Reem Al Numery

2010|

* Shukria Asil
* Shafiqa Quraishi
* Androula Henriques
* Solange Pierre
* Shadi Sadr
* Ann Njogu
* Lee Ae-ran
* Jansila Majeed
* Marie Claude Naddaf
* Jestina Mukoko

2011|

* Roza Otunbayeva
* Maria Bashir
* Henriette Ekwe Ebongo
* Jianmei Guo
* Ágnes Osztolykán
* Eva Abu Halaweh
* Ghulam Sughra
* Marisela Morales Ibañez
* Yoani Sánchez
* Nasta Palazhanka

2012|

* Maryam Durani
* Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo
* Zin Mar Aung
* Jineth Bedoya Lima
* Hana Elhebshi
* Aneesa Ahmed
* Shad Begum
* Samar Badawi
* Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih
* Şafak Pavey
* Gabi Calleja

2013|

* Malalai Bahaduri
* Tsering Woeser
* Julieta Castellanos
* Nirbhaya "Fearless"
* Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin
* Elena Milashina
* Fartuun Adan
* Razan Zaitouneh
* Tạ Phong Tần

2014|

* Nasrin Oryakhil
* Roshika Deo
* Rusudan Gotsiridze
* Iris Yassmin Barrios Aguilar
* Laxmi Agarwal
* Fatimata Touré
* Maha Al Muneef
* Oinikhol Bobonazarova
* Ruslana
* Beatrice Mtetwa

2015|

* Niloofar Rahmani
* Nadia Sharmeen
* Rosa Julieta Montaño Salvatierra
* May Sabai Phyu
* Emilie Béatrice Epaye
* Marie Claire Tchecola
* Sayaka Osakabe
* Arbana Xharra
* Tabassum Adnan
* Majd Izzat al-Chourbaji

2016|

* Sara Hossain
* Debra Baptist-Estrada
* Ni Yulan
* Latifa Ibn Ziaten
* Thelma Aldana
* Nagham Nawzat
* Nisha Ayub
* Fatimata M'Baye
* Zhanna Nemtsova
* Zuzana Števulová
* Awadeya Mahmoud
* Vicky Ntetema
* Rodjaraeg Wattanapanit
* Nihal Naj Ali Al-Awlaqi

2017|

* Sharmin Akter
* Malebogo Molefhe
* Natalia Ponce de León
* Rebecca Kabugho
* Jannat Al Ghezi
* Aichatou Ousmane Issaka
* Veronica Simogun
* Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista
* Sandya Eknelygoda
* Carolin Tahhan Fachakh
* Saadet Ozkan
* Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh
* Fadia Najeeb Thabet

2018|

* Roya Sadat
* Aura Elena Farfan
* Dr. Julissa Villanueva
* Aliyah Khalaf Saleh
* Sister Maria Elena Berini
* Aiman Umarova
* Dr. Feride Rushiti
* L’Malouma Said
* Godeliève Mukasarasi
* Sirikan Charoensiri

2019|

* Marini De Livera
* Razia Sultana
* Naw K’nyaw Paw
* Moumina Houssein Darar
* Maggie Gobran
* Khalida Khalaf Hanna al-Twal
* Orla Treacy
* Olivera Lakić
* Flor de María Vega Zapata
* Anna Aloys Henga

2020|

* Zarifa Ghafari
* Lucy Kocharyan
* Shahla Humbatova
* Ximena Galarza
* Claire Ouedraogo
* Sayragul Sauytbay
* Susanna Liew
* Amaya Coppens
* Jalila Haider
* Amina Khoulani
* Yasmin al Qadhi
* Rita Nyampinga

2021|

* Maria Kalesnikava
* Phyoe Phyoe Aung
* Maximilienne C. Ngo Mbe
* Wang Yu
* Mayerlis Angarita
* Julienne Lusenge
* Erika Aifán
* Shohreh Bayat
* Muskan Khatun
* Zahra Mohamed Ahmad
* Alicia Vacas Moro
* Ranitha Gnanarajah
* Canan Gullu
* Ana Rosario Contreras

2022|

* Rizwana Hasan
* Simone Sibilio do Nascimento
* Ei Thinzar Maung
* Josefina Klinger Zúñiga
* Taif Sami Mohammed
* Facia Boyenoh Harris
* Najla Mangoush
* Doina Gherman
* Bhumika Shrestha
* Carmen Gheorghe
* Roegchanda Pascoe
* Phạm Đoan Trang

2023|

* Hadeel Abdel Aziz
* Danièle Darlan
* Bolor Ganbold
* Zakira Hekmat
* Meaza Mohammed
* Yuliia Paievska
* Ras Adiba Radzi
* Doris Ríos
* Alba Rueda
* Bakhytzhan Toregozhina
* Bianka Zalewska

2024|

* Agather Atuhaire
* Fatou Baldeh
* Fariba Balouch
* Fátima Corozo
* Fawzia Karim Firoze
* Rina Gonoi
* Volha Harbunova
* Rabha El Haymar
* Ajna Jusić
* Marta Beatriz Roque
* Benafsha Yaqoobi

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