Sadaf Saaz - “Women have a deep need and desire to be able to express themselves, to be empowered, to live a fulfilled life, reaching their potential”

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with Bangladeshi women’s rights activist and poet, Sadaf Saaz. Sadaf talks about her journey from the UK to Bangladesh and how she found her feminism along the way, the strides made by the Bangladeshi feminist movement, the role of female garment workers in changing attitudes about a woman’s place in society and Sadaf’s poetry, which has been a constant in her life. Sadaf and Shana also discuss an issue close to Sadaf’s heart, the plight of the Birangona, the hundreds of thousands of women who were victims of sexual violence at the hands of the Pakistani army during the 1971 war. While the stories and records of the Birangona have been systematically erased and covered up by both the Bangladeshi and Pakistani governments, it is the feminists on both sides who continue to acknowledge, remember and build bridges.     Follow Sadaf on X @SadafSaaz.   Follow us on Instagram @herkajalwontsmudge and check out our website www.herkajalwontsmudge.com.   CREDITS: Host and Creative Director: Shana  This is a Maed in India production Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram Visual Design & Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde