The 23rd 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 tomorrow in a befitting manner.
 
Different socio-cultural organisations will observe the day through various programmes.

On the eve of the occasion, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today 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 democratic, socio-cultural and women's freeing movement.

In a message, the President said Poet Sufia Kamal will be alive among the countrymen through her literary talent and amazing works.

"Her ideals and literary works will inspire the new generation deeply to build an non-discrimination 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.

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.

Begum Sufia Kamal died in Dhaka on November 20 in 1999 and was buried at Azimpur graveyard with full state honour.

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".

BDST: 1803 HRS, NOV 19, 2022
MN/SMS