Human Rights groups demand recognition for Bangladesh's women abused in war

Jan.29,2014: Bangladesh’s High Court has ordered the government to explain why thousands of women who were sexually and physically abused by Pakistan soldiers and collaborators during the 1971 liberation war ,do not have the same status as freedom fighters. The court also wanted to know why these women, known as biranganas, or war heroines, do not receive the same honours and benefits freedom fighters do.Government officials were ordered to respond within one month.
The move comes in response to a petition filed by two women's rights organizations, the Alumni Association of Saleha Isahak Girls High School, and the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association. According to government estimates, the Pakistan army and local collaborators killed 3 million people and raped more than 200,000 women during the war. “It’s been more than four decades since the war but social ostracism against these women, their families and children still continues,” Fauzia Karim, a lawyer for the petitioners and a member of the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association. The government currently pays 3,000 taka a month to 150,000 former freedom fighters, provides job quotas for them, their children and grandchildren, but nothing is allocated for ‘war heroines’ said Karim . “We will continue our battle to secure honors for them no matter how long it takes,” Karim added.
Source: Asianews