The 105th birth anniversary of legendary poet, political activist and torchbearer of women’s emancipation Sufia Kamal will be celebrated across the country today with programmes taken up by the government and various cultural organizations, reports UNB. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) will arrange a memorial speech, honorary award ceremony and a cultural program at the Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium at Bangla Academy. Dr Nasim Akhter Hossain, Professor of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University will present the keynote speech on ‘Sufia Kamal and Women’s Movement of the 21st century’ during the programme. Professor Hasan Azizul Haque has been nominated for the Sufia Kamal honorary award this year. Effayat Ara Dewan, Sonjoy Roy, Sutpa Shah, will perform at the cultural program while President of BMP will preside over the programme. Born on June 20, 1911, Sufia Kamal was awarded the Bangla Academy Award for Literature (1962), Lenin Centenary Jubilee Medal (1970) from the Soviet Union, Ekushey Padak (1976), Czechoslovakia Medal (1986), Jatyo Kabita Parishad Award (1995), Begum Rokeya Medal (1996), Deshbandhu CR Das Gold Medal (1996) and Independence Day Award (1997) for her works.