Staff Reporter:
The 24th death anniversary of poet Begum Sufia Kamal, founding president of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad and a pioneer of Bengali women’s emancipation, will be observed across the country today in a befitting manner.
Different socio-cultural organizations will observe the day through various programs.
On the eve of the occasion, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday issued separate messages paying profound respect to the memory of the poet.
They prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of Sufia Kamal terming her a pioneer of demo-cratic, socio-cultural and women emancipation movement.
In a message, the President said Poet Sufia Kamal will be living among the countrymen through her literary talent and amazing works.
“Her ideals and literary works will inspire the new generation deeply to build a discrimination-free and non-communal society,” the head of the state said.
He said Poet Sufia Kamal was a pioneer of the women’s movement and a fearless fighter against sectarianism and bigotry.
She has struggled all her life to free women from the shackles of ignorance and superstition, the President added.
He said she was active in every movement of democracy and human rights, including the great language movement, the War of Independence and the War of Liberation.
She was one of the initiators of the movement for the trial of crimes against humanity committed by the anti-Liberation forces during the war of liberation, the President added.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conveyed her profound respect to the memories of Begum Sufia Kamal, one of the pioneers of progressive, democratic and women emancipation movements in Bangladesh.
The premier said the creativity of Begum Sufia Kamal, one of the poets of Bengali literature, was unforgettable.
She said apart from children’s writings, her writings on various topics including country, nature, democracy, social reform and women’s liberation still inspire the readers.
She was an activist of the historic Language Movement of 1952 and also played a significant role in the Great War of Liberation.
Sufia Kamal was also an excellent organizer. In 1956, she organized “Kochi-Kachar Mela”, an or-ganisation of children, and organised the Bangladesh Mohila Parishad in 1970.
Begum Sufia Kamal died in Dhaka on November 20 in 1999 and was buried at Azimpur graveyard with full state honor.
She won more than 50 awards for her contribution to the literature including “Ekushey Padak”, “Swadhinata Dibash Padak”, “Bangla Academy Padak”, “Soviet Lenin Award”, “Begum Rokeya Padak” and “Jatiya Kobita Porishad Award”.
