Adieu to a legend

Begum editor Nurjahan Begum dies

Nurjahan Begum, the harbinger of women’s emancipation through the country’s first illustrated women's weekly ‘Begum’, passed away at a hospital in the capital yesterday. She was 91. Editor of weekly Begum, Nurjahan breathed her last at Square Hospital, where she was admitted with geriatric problems on May 5. She was kept under life support at the hospital’s ICU after her condition deteriorated on May 7. Nurjahan is survived by two daughters. The news of Nurjahan’s demise was received with shock and gloom, with President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and different socio-political figures condoled the death and expressing their sympathies for the bereaved family members. In his condolence message, the President said, “The nation would remember Nurjahan Begum forever for her contribution to the education and development of women,” adding that her death was “an irreparable loss for the nation.” The Prime Minister recalled Nurjahan’s contribution to “women’s renaissance” in the subcontinent with profound respect. “The nation has lost a great woman in her death,” she said. Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said, “Women have learnt to read and write and cook and sew due to the efforts initiated by Nurjahan. Today, women can stand up with dignity due to her struggles, which she continued throughout her life.” BNP secretary general Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir said, “Nurjahan Begum was a pioneer for Bengalis for her immense contributions to journalism and women’s renaissance and empowerment.”
Nurjahan’s body was taken to her residence in Dhaka’s Narinda area at noon for the last time and a namaz-e-janaza was held, which was attended by cultural affairs minister Asaduzzman Noor, among others.
Later in the afternoon, the coffin was taken to Central Shaheed Minar, where people from all walks of life paid their tributes to the pioneer of women’s emancipation.
Expressing shock at the demise of Nurjahan, leaders and workers of different political and social organisations paid their tributes and remembered her in different ways.
The mortal remains were finally laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard at Mirpur in the capital after the second namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan Jam-e-Masjid.
Born in Chandpur on June 4, 1925, Nurjahan was the child of renowned journalist Mohammad Nasiruddin, who was the editor of ‘The Showgat’ magazine. He had launched the women-centric weekly magazine ‘Begum’ in 1947. It was first published in Kolkata and later shifted to Dhaka in 1950.
Nurjahan took over the reins of the magazine in November 1947 and relentlessly worked to establish the freedom of Muslim women by helping them publish their articles in ‘Begum’.
For her tremendous efforts as an editor and social worker, she had earned various national and international awards, including ‘Ekushey Podok 2011’ and ‘Rokeya Podok’. Nurjahan also participated in various social activities and relief work, which included her help in building camps for children affected by the riot in Kolkata in 1946. As secretary of the Under-privileged Women’s Society of Bangladesh, she assisted in the establishment of shelters for Muslim women and orphans in 1947.
In 1954, Nurjahan assisted in creating the first club for women writers and social workers in Bangladesh, called ‘The Begum Club’ in Dhaka. She was also a member of various women’s organisations, including the Wari Mohila Samity and the Narinda Mohila Samity. Through these organizations, she further worked for the education and development activities of children. She also raised funds to help the victims of natural disasters and calamities. She completed her matriculation from Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School in West Bengal in 1942 and Intermediate of Arts from Lady Brabourne College in 1944 and Bachelor of Arts from the same college in 1946.
In 1952, she was married to the founder of Kochi Kanchar Mela, Dadabhai Rokonuzzaman Khan, who helped her in publishing Begum.

 

Adieu to a legend

Begum editor Nurjahan Begum dies

Nurjahan Begum, the harbinger of womens emancipation through the countrys first illustrated womens weekly Begum, passed away at a hospital in the capital yesterday. She was 91. Editor of weekly Begum, Nurjahan breathed her last at Square Hospital, where she was admitted with geriatric problems on May 5. She was kept under life support at the hospitals ICU after her condition deteriorated on May 7. Nurjahan is survived by two daughters. The news of Nurjahans demise was received with shock and gloom, with President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and different socio-political figures condoled the death and expressing their sympathies for the bereaved family members. In his condolence message, the President said, The nation would remember Nurjahan Begum forever for her contribution to the education and development of women, adding that her death was an irreparable loss for the nation. The Prime Minister recalled Nurjahans contribution to womens renaissance in the subcontinent with profound respect. The nation has lost a great woman in her death, she said. Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said, Women have learnt to read and write and cook and sew due to the efforts initiated by Nurjahan. Today, women can stand up with dignity due to her struggles, which she continued throughout her life. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir said, Nurjahan Begum was a pioneer for Bengalis for her immense contributions to journalism and womens renaissance and empowerment. Nurjahans body was taken to her residence in Dhakas Narinda area at noon for the last time and a namaz-e-janaza was held, which was attended by cultural affairs minister Asaduzzman Noor, among others. Later in the afternoon, the coffin was taken to Central Shaheed Minar, where people from all walks of life paid their tributes to the pioneer of womens emancipation. Expressing shock at the demise of Nurjahan, leaders and workers of different political and social organisations paid their tributes and remembered her in different ways. The mortal remains were finally laid to rest at the Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard at Mirpur in the capital after the second namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan Jam-e-Masjid. Born in Chandpur on June 4, 1925, Nurjahan was the child of renowned journalist Mohammad Nasiruddin, who was the editor of The Showgat magazine. He had launched the women-centric weekly magazine Begum in 1947. It was first published in Kolkata and later shifted to Dhaka in 1950. Nurjahan took over the reins of the magazine in November 1947 and relentlessly worked to establish the freedom of Muslim women by helping them publish their articles in Begum. For her tremendous efforts as an editor and social worker, she had earned various national and international awards, including Ekushey Podok 2011 and Rokeya Podok. Nurjahan also participated in various social activities and relief work, which included her help in building camps for children affected by the riot in Kolkata in 1946. As secretary of the Under-privileged Womens Society of Bangladesh, she assisted in the establishment of shelters for Muslim women and orphans in 1947. In 1954, Nurjahan assisted in creating the first club for women writers and social workers in Bangladesh, called The Begum Club in Dhaka. She was also a member of various womens organisations, including the Wari Mohila Samity and the Narinda Mohila Samity. Through these organizations, she further worked for the education and development activities of children. She also raised funds to help the victims of natural disasters and calamities. She completed her matriculation from Sakhawat Memorial Girls High School in West Bengal in 1942 and Intermediate of Arts from Lady Brabourne College in 1944 and Bachelor of Arts from the same college in 1946. In 1952, she was married to the founder of Kochi Kanchar Mela, Dadabhai Rokonuzzaman Khan, who helped her in publishing Begum.