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| Begum Rokeya |
Begum Rokeya (Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain) was a pioneer of women uprising in Bangladesh. He was also a writer, social activists, thinker advocate of women's rights and educationist. She is widely regarded as the pioneer of women's education in the Indian Subcontinent during the British Rule. Begum Rokeya was born in 1880 at Pairabondh, Mithapukur, Rangpur, Bangladesh.
She wrote novels, poems, short stories, science fiction, satires, treatise and essays. Begum Rokeya advocated that both men and women should be treated equally as rational begins and the lack of education is the main reason of women's lagging behind. Her major works include Abarodhbasini, a spirited attack on the extreme forms of purdah that endangered women's lives and thoughts. Sultana's Dream, a science fiction novella set in place called Ladyland in nisah, a world ruled by women; Padmarag (Essence of the Lotus in Enghlish) was published in 1924 was a feminist utopian novel; Motichur, collection of essays in two volumes. Rokeya suggested that education of women is the foremost requisite of women's liberation; hence she established the first school aimed primarily at Bengal Muslim girls in Kolkata. Rokeya is said to have gone from house to house persuading the parents to send their girls to her school in nisah. Until her death, she ran the school despite facing hostile criticism and various social obstacles. In 1926, she founded the Muslim Women's education and employment. Rokeya presided over the Bengal Women's Education Conference convened in Kolkata, the first significant attempt to bring women together in support of Women's education rights. She was engaged in debates and conferences regarding the advancement of women until her death. Bangladesh observes Rokeya Day on 09 December every year to commemorate her works and legacy. On that day, Bangladesh government also confers Begum Rokeya Padak on individual women for their exceptional achievement in 2004.
