113th birth anniversary of poet Sufia Kamal today

The 113th birth 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 tomorrow in a befitting manner.

Different socio-cultural organisations will observe the day through various programmes.

Mohila Parishad will pay tributes to the poet by placing wreaths at Sufia Kamal Bhaban in Dhaka’s Segunbagicha area at 10:30am tomorrow.

In separate messages on the eve of the birth anniversary, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to the memory of the poet.

They also prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of Sufia Kamal, who was one of the pioneers of all progressive, democratic and women’s emancipation movements in Bangladesh.

Born on June 20, 1911, Sufia Kamal dedicated her entire life for women’s liberty, progressive thinking and non-communal politics.

She was an activist of the Language Movement in 1952 and also played a significant role in the Liberation War in 1971.

In 1956, she organised “Kochi-Kachar Mela”, a platform for the children, and established the Mohila Parishad in 1970.

Sufia Kamal died in Dhaka on November 20, 1999 and was buried at Azimpur Graveyard with state honour.

She received over 50 awards, including “Ekushey Padak”, “Swadhinata Dibash Padak”, “Bangla Academy Padak”, “Soviet Lenin Award”, “Begum Rokeya Padak”, and “Jatiya Kobita Porishad Award” for her contributions to Bangla literature.

LondonGBDESK//