BSS, Dhaka :Today is the 16th death anniversary of Poet Sufia Kamal, founder president of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad and also a pioneer of Bengali women’s emancipation.She was born on June 20, 1911 at her maternal uncle’s home at Shayestabad, Barisal. Her father’s name was Abdul Bari. Despite being born to a conservative Muslim family, she was taught Bengali by her mother Sabera Begum.Marking the day, different social and cultural organizations have taken various programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner. A platform comprising some 68 women, human rights and development organizations will arrange a memorial discussion at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) here at 3 pm today.Besides, leaders of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote will place wreaths at the poet’s graveyard at Azimpur.Apart from her literary pursuits, Poet Sufia Kamal fought for women’s emancipation, humanity’s emancipation and restoration of democracy. She was also active in the Language Movement of 1952.She was also involved in the movement to protest the embargo on Tagore imposed by then government in the late ’60s. She was also involved in the mass-upsurge of 1969 and the non- cooperation movement of March 1971. She also renounced the” Tamgha-I-Imtiaz” award given to her by the Pakistan government.She was an excellent organizer. In the politically charged atmosphere of 1970, she organized the Bangladesh Mohila Parishad. Earlier, in 1956, she had organized the children’s organization “Kochi-Kachar Mela”.She edited the women’s magazine “Begum” before partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Her first poem “Bashanti” was printed in the “Saogat” in 1926. Since then, she has written prolifically: poems, short stories and travelogues. Her “Ekatturer Diary” tells the untold stories of the Bengalis in 1971.
