On June 26, 2024 (Wednesday), at 4.00 p.m., a Sufia Kamal memorial lecture, felicitation, and a cultural program were organized on the occasion of ‘ Janoni Sahosika’ Sufia Kamal’s 113th birth anniversary who was the founder president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, a leader of women’s liberation, human liberation, and democratic, non-communal, social and cultural movements at International Mother Language Institute Auditorium (Martyr Captain Mansoor Ali Sarani, 1/A, Segunbagicha, Dhaka).
Dr. Fauzia Moslem, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) chaired the program.
Maleka Banu, General Secretary gave a welcome speech moderated by Sima Moslem, Joint General Secretary. Dr. Ainun Nahar, a professor of the Anthropology Department at Jahangirnagar University, and a central committee member of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad gave a memorial lecture on the traditional attitude towards women: the movement of Sufia Kamal. Sufia Kamal felicitation was given to Engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah and late Architect poet Robiul Hussain. The given felicitation was received by Saika Mahmud, daughter of Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, and Jisan Hussain, son of late Architect poet Robiul Hussain. Saraban Tahura, Publication Secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, and Rina Ahmed, Training and Library Secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad read these two legendaries’s introductions.
At the beginning of the program, the leaders of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad paid tribute to poet Sufia Kamal’s portrait, while the documentary film made on poet Sufia Kamal was shown. Iffat Ara Dewan, a renowned Rabindra Sangeet artist, and Khairul Anam Shakil, a renowned Nazrul Sangeet artist performed songs. Golam Sarwar, a researcher and a reciter of correct Bangla pronunciation, did the recitation.
Central leaders, editors, officers, of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Dhaka Metropolitan Committee, and journalists of print and electronic media were present in the program.
In the speech of the Secretary, Dr. Fauzia Moslem said that Sufia Kamal always fought for equality of men and women and for the peace of society. She destroyed all old customs among all these superstitions to establish women’s rights, protested, and also built a path.
Maleka Banu, General Secretary said in the welcome speech that in this patriarchal society, a woman is neglected as a writer and poet, Sufia Kamal established herself as a writer and poet in such a society, earned recognition, and gave command to the movement for the establishment of women’s human rights.
Dr. Aynun Nahar said in her commemorative speech that Sufia Kamal’s multifaced relentless activities against gender inequality have inspired the women’s society of Bangladesh to fight constantly. It is the demand of the time to explore and research more deeply about her multi-dimensional existence and involvement, her struggle to establish an inclusive and just society for women’s rights. This work will not only inspire the ongoing women’s movement but will also inspire new generations and at the same time influence the larger scale.
