Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that the life philosophy and literary works of the timeless poet Begum Sufia Kamal will continue to illuminate the hearts of readers for generations. She said this in a message given on the occasion of the 113th birth anniversary of poet Begum Sufia Kamal, who is known as a motherly figure and a pioneer in democratic and women’s liberation movements.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mentioned that poet Begum Sufia Kamal was born on June 20, 1911, in Barishal and passed away on November 20, 1999, in Dhaka. On one hand, she was the epitome of the eternal Bengali woman, and on the other, she had an uncompromising and strong presence in every movement and struggle of Bengal.
She said that the thoughts and vows of Begum Rokeya, a pioneer of women’s awakening, were instilled in and had a far-reaching influence on poet Sufia Kamal’s life. It was due to her demand that the first women’s dormitory at Dhaka University was named ‘Rokeya Hall’. In 1961, when the Pakistani government banned Rabindra Sangeet on the radio, she led a movement against this. She was also the founder of the children’s organization ‘Kochi-Kachar Mela’.
The Prime Minister mentioned that her direct involvement in the 1952 Language Movement, the 1969 Mass Uprising, the 1971 Non-Cooperation Movement and Liberation War, and various democratic struggles, as well as educational and cultural movements in independent Bangladesh, earned her the title of ‘Janani Sahasika’ (Valiant Mother) from the people. In her honor, the Bangladesh Awami League government built the ‘Begum Sufia Kamal Hall’ for female students at Dhaka University.
She also noted that when the history of Bangladesh was being distorted following the brutal assassination of the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with his family on August 15, 1975, Sufia Kamal’s vocal stance provided new inspiration to the pro-Liberation War democratic forces in Bangladesh.
She further added that Begum Sufia Kamal’s creativity was unforgettable. Alongside increasing social awareness, her literary pursuits continued. In 1938, poet Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote the preface to her first poetry book ‘Sanjher Maya’, which received widespread acclaim from readers and writers of that time.
The Prime Minister remarked that her writings enriched various subjects, including the country, nature, democracy, social reform, women’s liberation, and children’s literature. In the poet’s words: “In your songs, in the murmuring of the river, life will bubble up; it will endlessly enrich the grass and the trees, you will bring flowers and crops, the red dawn filled with the calls of birds; the world will be sweetened, life will bind together in the cords of love.”
—
