Dhaka: State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Monday handed over the Women in Parliament (WIP) Global Forum award to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Shahriar Alam handed the award to the prime minister at the cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat, said PM's press secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury.

Bangladesh received the award for its leading role in reducing gender gap in political sphere in South and South East Asia.

The state minister, on behalf of the prime minister, received the prestigious award conferred by WIP at its Summit at the Headquarters of African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25 March last.

Founder of the Switzerland-based WIP Silvana Koch-Mehrin had invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to receive the award. But, the state minister received the award on behalf of her.  

A video message, sent by the premier for the WIP Award Ceremony, was played on the closing day of the WIP Summit.