Village Pairaband, birthplace of the pioneer of women renaissance in the sub-continent under Mithapukur upazila here, is now set to observe the Begum Rokeya Day-2013 from Monday.
The district administration has completed all necessary preparations to observe the 133rd birth and 81st death anniversaries of Begum Rokeya through three-day programme in a befitting manner.
According to official sources, Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Dilwar Bakht will inaugurate the observance through placing wreaths at Begum Rokeya Smriti Stambha there under Mithapukur upazila here at 9am Monday.
The first day programmes include milad mahfil, open discussion on ‘Child Marriage and Women Empowerment’, blood donation and blood group tests, launching of a three-day traditional ‘Rokeya Fair’ followed by colourful cultural function.
On December 10, drawing competitions for the children, recitation of the poem ‘Chand’ written by Begum Rokeya and essay writing on ‘Philosophy of Begum Rokeya and her Professional Life’ for the school students and cultural function will be arranged.
A prizes distribution ceremony will be held on the concluding day on December 11 in the evening to be followed colourful cultural functions.
Begum Rokeya was born in village Pairaband on December 9 in 1880 and died on the same day in 1932 in Kolkata.
She had struggled for establishing women 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 being officially observed as Rokeya Day since 1994 at Pairaband village, the birthplace of the unparalleled woman in the sub-continent. -BSS, Rangpur
