Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra University Professor Biswajit Ghosh said that poet Sufia Kamal was a visionary, who illuminated the road that led women towards socio-economic empowerment in the country. “One has to be amazed at the way poet-activist Sufia Kamal thought about the emancipation of women 70-80 years ago, and the way she organized movements and activities for ensuring women empowerment in the society is beyond commendable.” Read: 110th birth anniversary of Sufia Kamal today Dr Ghosh made his remarks on the eminent social reformist at a webinar organized by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) on Sunday, commemorating Begum Sufia Kamal on her 110th anniversary of birth. Presenting the commemorative speech titled "Sufia Kamal and the Feminist Movement of Bangladesh" at the webinar, Prof Biswajit Ghosh said, “Sufia Kamal earned her rightful position in the history through her change-making and impactful social activities, despite being born and raised in a confined society. The theoretical framework of feminism that we see in our society today was not properly active in the time of Sufia Kamal, but she saw the greater picture ahead of her time regarding the development of women, more than anything or anyone else.” The virtual event was streamed live on BMP’s Facebook page and chaired by BMP's current president Dr Fauzia Moslem, who commemorated the founding president on her birth anniversary with utmost respect during her speech. Read: Sufia Kamal's 21st death anniversary observed “The formation of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad under the leadership of poet Sufia Kamal on April 4, 1960, was a remarkable event in history, and our organization is still implementing effective social activities for not only women but for every one existing in the society. The feminist movement has been widespread in many ways after the twentieth century, and it is highly indebted to Sufia Kamal in so many ways,” Dr Fauzia Moslem said at the event. Maleka Banu, general secretary of the central committee of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said, "Sufia Kamal, one of the most respected and leading figures in women's liberation and a vibrantly active luminary in many democratic, social and cultural movements of the country during her time, has not been physically present with us for more than two decades - but she is involved in all of our actions, thoughts, joys and crises.” The Poet Sufia Kamal Award-2020 (posthumously) was conferred to late journalist, teacher, politician and activist Nurjahan Murshid and Poet Sufia Kamal Award-2021 was given to Kumudini Welfare Trust for making social impacts through various humanitarian activities. Read:Google doodle celebrates poet Sufia Kamal’s birth anniversary Sharmeen Murshid and Tazeen Murshid, daughters of Nurjahan Murshid virtually received the award on behalf of their mother and Sreemoti Saha, director of Kumudini Welfare Trust, received the award on behalf of her organization, alongside other members of Kumudini Welfare Trust. Eminent Rabindra Sangeet artiste Iffat Ara Dewan and Nazrul Sangeet exponent Khairul Anam Shakil performed songs at the event. The webinar and award-giving ceremony was hosted by Seema Moslem, joint-general secretary and Umme Salma Begum, organizing secretary of the central committee of BMP.

Sunday marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of poet and feminist Begum Sufia Kamal. Also revered as the trailblazing woman rights activist, poet and  educationist who took part in the Bengali nationalist movement of the 1950s and then established herself as one of the iconic civil society leaders in independent Bangladesh, Sufia Kamal was born on June 20, 1911, at Shayestabad, Barisal in then British India. The day is being observed in befitting manners by different socio-cultural organisations. Read: Sufia Kamal's 21st death anniversary observed Commemorating the day, several socio-cultural organisations including Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) and Chhayanaut are organizing special programmes in remembrance of the poet and activist. However, due to the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, both organizations are celebrating the day with virtual programmes.  Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) is hosting a special online event at 3 pm on its official Facebook page. To commemorate the pioneer's 110th birth anniversary, the programme is featuring online memorial speeches, poet Sufia Kamal Award giving ceremony and musical performances. BMP's current president Dr Fauzia Moslem will preside over the event. Rabindra University Vice-Chancellor Professor Biswajit Ghosh will deliver a commemorative speech titled "Sufia Kamal and the Feminist Movement of Bangladesh" at the event, while the Poet Sufia Kamal Award-2020 (posthumously) will be conferred to  journalist, teacher, politician and activist Nurjahan Murshid and Poet Sufia Kamal Award-2021 will be given to Kumudini Welfare Trust. Celebrating the founding president's birth anniversary and the return of monsoon,  country's leading cultural institution Chhayanat has been organizing a commemorative event every year, which could not take place last year due to the COVID-19 situation. This year, Chhayanat is organizing a special online event featuring songs, poems and dances of the rainy season, alongside a special speech of Sultana Kamal, daughter of the eminent poet and a member of the advisory council of Chhayanat, noted human rights activist and former adviser to the Caretaker government of Bangladesh. Read: Google doodle celebrates poet Sufia Kamal’s birth anniversary The programme will be telecast through the digital platforms of Chhayanaut including its Facebook page and YouTube channel on Sunday at 9 pm.  A woman ahead of her time and her contemporaries, Sufia Kamal was instrumental in naming the first women’s dormitory of Dhaka University as Rokeya Hall after the name of Begum Rokeya, the legendary educationist who was her own inspiration. She went on to become a civil society leader and a pioneer activist for women’s rights.  As a brave social activist, Sufia Kamal played active role in the 1952 language movement, the oppressions against the nation before and during the 1971 Liberation War and took part in every major human rights movement in Bangladesh till her demise. Despite lacking formal education during her childhood, she learned multiple languages at her home including Bengali, Hindi, English, Urdu, Arabic, Kurdish and Persian. Her first book of poems, Sanjher Maya (The Eventide Spell), was published in Kolkata in 1938, which were praised by legendary litterateur Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore. As a poet and writer, she then went on authoring more than a dozen volumes of poetry and several volumes of short stories, short novels, travelogues, etc. Her documentary book Ekatturer Diary (Diary of 71) narrated the horrific stories during the 1971 Liberation War. She was the founding editor of Begum, Bangladesh's maiden women’s magazine. Sufia Kamal was the founding chairperson of The Bangladesh Women’s Rehabilitation Board, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, Dustha Punarbasan Sangstha. She was the president of the Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation and Nari Kalyan Sangstha. She was also the first Chairperson of BRAC. Read:Begum Sufia Kamal’s 109th birth anniversary Saturday Sufia Kamal received many awards including the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (1961), a major national award conferred by the Pakistani government that she returned in 1969 in protest against the then government’s oppressive treatment to Bengali people. Her major achievements include Bangla Academy Award for Literature (1962), Ekushey Padak (1976), Jatiya Kabita Parishad Award (1995), Women’s Federation for World Peace Crest (1996), Begum Rokeya Padak (1996), Deshbandhu CR Das Gold Medal (1996), Independence Day Award (1997), Czechoslovakia Medal (1986) and more. Besides, the National Public Library in Dhaka is named as Sufia Kamal National Public Library and Bangladesh National Museum named one of its main auditoriums in her honour. Begum Sufia Kamal passed away on November 20, 1999. For her tremendous contribution in the society, she became the first woman to receive a state funeral in Bangladesh.