Today is Begum Rokeya Day
Today is December 9. The day is the 143rd birth and 91st death anniversary of Begum Rokeya, pioneer of women's awakening. This pioneer of women's awakening was born on this day in 1880 in a secluded village of Payaraband in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur and died on the same day on December 9, 1932.
This day is celebrated as Begum Rokeya Day. Today, the nation will remember this noble woman who constantly struggled to free women from the shackles of religious bigotry and superstition.
On the occasion of the day, like every year, various programs have been taken up across the country by government and private initiatives. A three-day Rokeya Mela is being held at Payaraband in Rangpur, the birthplace of Rokeya.
Rokeya was born on December 9, 1880 in Payaraband, Rangpur in a zamindar family. She also wrote and was known as Rokeya Khatun, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Mrs RS Hossain. She raised her voice against the subjugation of women in the 19th century when women were under siege.
Father Zaheer Uddin Muhammad Abul Ali Haider Saber, mother Rahatunnessa Chaudhurani. Begum Rokeya had two brothers and two sisters. The elder brother Ibrahim Saber was a progressive man. Begum Rokeya and another sister Karimunnessa used to teach Barna by candlelight in secret. And Rokeya had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and learning.
In 1896, at the age of 16, Begum Rokeya was married to Bhagalpur Deputy Magistrate Khan Bahadur Sakhawat Hossain. Rokeya found the company of another progressive man. Husband Sakhawat Hossain, seeing Begum Rokeya's keen interest in education, started helping her in Bengali and English education and helped her in writing.
This education is the emancipation of the dark society of that time, superstitious life and uneducated women's society. The idea of how to pull women out of the darkness of illiteracy was in his mind. And so he dreamed of a school where backward women of the society will learn education. And her husband Sakhawat Hossain made this dream bigger.
Entering the world of literature by writing a Bengali story called 'Pipasa' in 1902. And in 1905 Rokeya wrote her famous book 'Sultan's Dreams' in English. Sakhawat Hussain was impressed by the writing and encouraged her to publish it in book form.
Sultan's Dreams was published in book form in 1908. Later the book was also published in Bengali as 'Sultana's Dream'. This book is considered a milestone in the feminist literature of the world. Her other books are 'Avarodhabasini', 'Motichur', 'Padmarag'.
Incidentally, Begum Rokeya is commemorated on December 9 every year, but the memorial center established in her native village has not been started till date. Along with this, the demand of Begum Rokeya's family to recover about 350 bighas of land that has become desolate and bring back Rokeya's remains and bury them in the village has not been fulfilled till date.
General Secretary of Begum Rokeya Smriti Sangsad Rafiqul Islam Dulal said that Begum Rokeya's 350 bighas of land is vacant. Some lands have institutions named after her. Those concerned should come forward to recover this land.
Begum Rokeya's brother Masihuzzaman Saher's daughter, Payaraband Begum Rokeya Memorial Girls' High School retired assistant teacher Ranjina Saber said, Begum Rokeya is remembered only on one day. A memorial center should be started to present the true history and work life of Begum Rokeya to the new generation.
Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's dream was that men and women would live with equal status and rights in the society. She wrote about that dream in her stories-novels-essays. She worked for the expansion of women's education. The struggle for the establishment of women's educational institutions, their empowerment, and the right to vote was started by Begum Rokeya in Bengal.
She died on this day in 1932. The day is being celebrated as Rokeya Day.
Various programs in Rangpur to celebrate the day:
Various institutions and organizations have organized various programs in Rangpur on Begum Rokeya Day. A day-long program has been organized at Payaraband in Mithapukur, her birthplace. At the same time, a three-day Rokeya Mela is being held this time. A discussion meeting at 11 o’clock and a cultural program were organized in the evening in this connection.
A discussion meeting on the role of women in socio-economic development will be held on Saturday (December 9) at 4 pm organized by the district administration. There is debate competition at 3 pm, distribution of prizes and medals at 5 pm, drama and cultural program at 6:30 pm. Apart from this, various organizations of Rangpur including Begum Rokeya University, Government Begum Rokeya College, Begum Rokeya Girls High School and Rangpur Rokeya Forum have organized various programs.