RANGPUR, Dec 7, 2020 (BSS) – The district administration has chalked
out limited scale programmes to observe the Rokeya Day-2020 at
Pairaband village, birthplace of Begum Rokeya in Mithapukur upazila of
the district, on Wednesday next.
Officials said the day would be observed on December 9 with day-long
programmes strictly abiding by the health directives of the
government.
Earlier, the district administration observed the Rokeya Day with
three-day elaborate programmes before the outbreak of the COVID-19
pandemic.
As per the curtailed one-day programmes, the observance will begin
with placing of wreaths by the officials of the district and
Mithapukur upazila administrations at Begum Rokeya Smritistambha in
Pairaband village at 9 am on Wednesday.
Later, the district administration will arrange a virtual
discussion on the life and works of Begum Rokeya at the conference
room of the district Deputy Commissioner in the city.
Deputy Commissioner and President of the Rokeya Day-2020 Observance
Committee Md. Asib Ahsan will preside over the discussion.
HN Ashiqur Rahman, MP, is expected to attend the discussion
virtually as the chief guest.
Former Head of the Department of Bengali of Rangpur Begum Rokeya
Government College Professor Mohammad Shah Alam will present the
keynote essay on the life and works of Begum Rokeya.
Professor of the Department of Bengali of Begum Rokeya University
Dr. Sorifa Salowa Dina, Assistant Professor of Kawnia Degree College
Dr Swasswato Bhattacharya and educationist Dr. Nasima Akhter will take
part as discussants.
Begum Rokeya was born in village Pairaband of Rangpur on December 9
in 1880 and died on the same day in 1932 in Kolkata.
She struggled throughout her life for establishing the women’s
rights, freedom, education, empowerment, economic emancipation and
movements creating a renaissance in the then highly conservative and
British-ruled colonial society.
The birth and death anniversaries of Begum Rokeya are officially
being observed as Rokeya Day since 1994 at Pairaband village, the
birthplace of the unparalleled woman in the sub-continent.