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Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
Begum Rokeya was a Bengali writer, social activist, educationist and advocate of women's rights. She is
also regarded as the pioneer of Islamic feminism in Bengal.
Rokeya was born in the year 1880 in the village of Pairabondh, Mithapukur, Rangpur (present day Bangladesh), during the British Rule. Her father’s name was Jahiruddin Muhammad Abu Ali Haidar Saber, who was an educated zamindar (landlord) and her mother’s name was Rahatunnessa. Rokeya had two sisters and three brothers, one of whom died in childhood. Rokeya's immediate elder sister Karimunnesa and her eldest brother Ibrahim Saber had a great influence on Rokeya’s life. Rokeya learned English and Bengali from her eldest brother Ibrahim Saber.
In 1898, Rokeya was married to Khan Bahadur Sakhawat Hussain at the age of eighteen. Khan Bahadur was the deputy magistrate of Bhagalpur, which is presently a district under the Indian state of Bihar. He was almost 38 years older than Rokeya. Khan Bahadur was, however, a supportive husband and encouraged her to write and set aside money to start a school primarily for Muslim women. It was on his advice that Begum Rokeya adopted Bengali for her literary works as it was the language of the common masses. She launched her literary career with a Bengali essay entitled Pipasa (Thirst) in the year 1902. Motichur (1905) and Sultana's Dream (1908) are her other famous books.
Sakhawat Hussain died in the year 1909. Five months later, Rokeya established a high school and named it Sakhawat Memorial Girls' High School, in memory of her beloved husband. She started the school with just five students in Bhagalpur, which was chiefly Urdu-speaking area. Later she shifted the school to Calcutta, a predominantly Bengali-speaking area, in 1911. Rokeya also founded the Anjuman e Khawateen e Islam (Islamic Women's Association), which was active in organising conferences and debates with regards to the status of women and education.
She passed away due to heart problems on December 9, 1932, which was her 52 nd birthday. In Bangladesh, December 9 is celebrated as Rokeya Day to commemorate the works and legacy of Rokeya. The Bangladesh government, also on this day, awards Begum Rokeya Padak to individual women for their outstanding achievement. Rokeya was ranked 6 in the BBC's poll of the ‘Greatest Bengali of All Time’ in the year 2004.
© Arked
Rokeya was born in the year 1880 in the village of Pairabondh, Mithapukur, Rangpur (present day Bangladesh), during the British Rule. Her father’s name was Jahiruddin Muhammad Abu Ali Haidar Saber, who was an educated zamindar (landlord) and her mother’s name was Rahatunnessa. Rokeya had two sisters and three brothers, one of whom died in childhood. Rokeya's immediate elder sister Karimunnesa and her eldest brother Ibrahim Saber had a great influence on Rokeya’s life. Rokeya learned English and Bengali from her eldest brother Ibrahim Saber.
In 1898, Rokeya was married to Khan Bahadur Sakhawat Hussain at the age of eighteen. Khan Bahadur was the deputy magistrate of Bhagalpur, which is presently a district under the Indian state of Bihar. He was almost 38 years older than Rokeya. Khan Bahadur was, however, a supportive husband and encouraged her to write and set aside money to start a school primarily for Muslim women. It was on his advice that Begum Rokeya adopted Bengali for her literary works as it was the language of the common masses. She launched her literary career with a Bengali essay entitled Pipasa (Thirst) in the year 1902. Motichur (1905) and Sultana's Dream (1908) are her other famous books.
Sakhawat Hussain died in the year 1909. Five months later, Rokeya established a high school and named it Sakhawat Memorial Girls' High School, in memory of her beloved husband. She started the school with just five students in Bhagalpur, which was chiefly Urdu-speaking area. Later she shifted the school to Calcutta, a predominantly Bengali-speaking area, in 1911. Rokeya also founded the Anjuman e Khawateen e Islam (Islamic Women's Association), which was active in organising conferences and debates with regards to the status of women and education.
She passed away due to heart problems on December 9, 1932, which was her 52 nd birthday. In Bangladesh, December 9 is celebrated as Rokeya Day to commemorate the works and legacy of Rokeya. The Bangladesh government, also on this day, awards Begum Rokeya Padak to individual women for their outstanding achievement. Rokeya was ranked 6 in the BBC's poll of the ‘Greatest Bengali of All Time’ in the year 2004.
© Arked
