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113rd Birth Anniversary Celebrated

Implement Sufia Kamals ideals for a free society

Published : Thursday, 27 June, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 251
Staff Correspondent
Sufia Kamal throughout her life advocated for the implementation of democracy, rule of law and transparency to liberate women and empower them. If her ideals were established, an egalitarian society would emerge in the country.

Speakers made the remark at a discussion marking the 113rd birth anniversary of Sufia Kamal, organised by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) at International Mother Language Institute Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday.

Sufia Kamal founded the Mahila Parishad as she felt the necessity of a structural organisation for women in the country, said BMP President Dr Fauzia Moslem while presiding over the discussion.

The programme commenced through paying floral tributes at the portrait of Sufia Kamal in the Institute which was followed by a documentary screening on her life.

Anthropology Prof Ainoon Naher of Jahangirnagar University presented the keynote paper on "Conventional Gender Construction and Sufia Kamal."

"Sufia Kamal was not just a poet. She was a skilled leader and a super organiser. Introducing her as only poet hides her multi-dimensional identities," said Prof Naher.

"I don like to call her Kabi Sufia Kamal. Because it defines only one of her identities. She had versatile entities," Naher said.

She said, "Sufia Kamal was a feminist. She struggled for the rights of women. Since her childhood, she observed inequality, discrimination and suppression in the patriarchal society. She fought against various social customs set by the patriarchal society but didn break the system. She challenged the system remaining in the system."

"Jobs are thought to be luxury for a woman while necessity for a man. If one of them needs to leave job, it will be the woman who is compelled to do this. Its a conventional idea," she said.

Prof Naher added, "It is globally assumed that leadership is a manly thing. Despite the country being ruled by women for a long period of time, a group of people are ready to say that women will fail to handle it. Its horrible."

She stressed the need for ensuring democracy, human rights and transparency for the emancipation of women in the country.

"Many people now say Sufia Kamal helped in the Liberation War. Nobody says she was a Valiant Freedom Fighter.

 People are reluctant to treat women this way. They think being man is compulsory to be a Freedom Fighter," Prof Naher said, calling for breaking the shackles that the women were held with in society.

While delivering welcome speech, BMP General Secretary Maleka Banu portrayed Sufia Kamals bold leadership during different regimes in the country.

"Every ruler saw her inner strength. She even refused many lucrative offers of the rulers. Studying her biography, we learnt that Sufia Kamal did what she thought better for the country and the society," said Maleka Banu.

Singer Iffat Ara Dewan and Khairul Anam Shakil sang Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti respectively at the event. Researcher Golam Sarwar recited two poems of Poet Sufia Kamal.

BMP conferred Engr Sheikh Md Shahidullah and late Architect Rabiul Hossain with Sufia Kamal Award for their contribution in the struggle for women empowerment.

BMP President Fauzia said, "Janani-Sahasika Sufia Kamal is the pioneer of progressive movement in the country.

 She spent her childhood fighting for peace, freedom and equality."

"She actually did not found the Mahila Parishad for only women. It was for the advancement of the society.

 Because the movement mainly focused on the rights of women had impacts in all spheres in the society," said Fauzia.

She said everyone needs to continue the movement that Sufia Kamal began to change the mindset that men are superior to women.

BMP Joint-Secretary Shima Moslem conducted the discussion. Sufia Kamal was born on June 20 in 1911 and died on November 20 in 1999.



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