Begum Rokeya Day today

Begum Rokeya Day will be observed countrywide today to pay tribute to Begum Rokeya Sakhawat, a social reformer and pioneer of women's education.

The momentous day marks the 143rd birth and 91st death anniversaries of Begum Rokeya.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday issued messages, paying respect to the memory of Begum Rokeya.

Various organisations have chalked out numerous events to observe the day.

The main event will be marked by the Begum Rokeya Award giving ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, reports BSS.

The five awardees are -- first woman vice chancellor of Buet Prof Khaleda Ekram (posthumous) for women education; Dr Halida Hanum Akhter of Rangpur for establishing women's rights; Kamrunnesa Ashraf Dina of Netrakona for her contributions in socio-economic development of women (posthumous); Nishat Mazumder of Lakshmipur and Ronita Bala of Thakurgaon for rural development.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the award.

Begum Rokeya, who was a fierce champion of gender equality, was born at Pairaband village in Mithapukur upazila, Rangpur on December 9, 1880. She died on the same day in 1932 in Kolkata.

The birth and death anniversaries of Begum Rokeya are being officially observed as Rokeya Day since 1994.