It has been almost two decades since the inauguration of the Begum Rokeya Memorial Centre at her birthplace in Rangpur. But, to this day, the complex and its purposes remain elusive for those wishing to recall the memories of the nearly forgotten 19th century Bangali feminist.
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain was born at Pairaband in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur on December 9, 1880. She was a Bangali writer, educationist, social activist, and fierce advocate of women’s rights during her incredible life. She died at Sodepur in Kolkata on December 9, 1932. Yesterday the country observed her 140th birthday as also her 88th death anniversary.
Local residents pointed out that around this time every year, members of the local administration busy themselves chalking out various cultural programs, including discussions on the life and works of the great visionary.
But as soon as this particular day passes, the situation returns to what it is throughout the year, when nobody cares about the utter neglect that envelops Begum Rokeya’s ancestral home. The home is just one brick wall away from being forever lost and forgotten as influential people have already taken over much of her ancestral land.
Speaking about the Rokeya Memorial Centre, its general secretary, Rafiqul Islam Dulal said the memorial centre was finally reopened last year but had to be closed once again owing to a lack of activities needed to keep it operational.
Faruk Rahman, deputy director of the Rokeya Memorial Centre, said the public works department had sought Tk2.5 crore for the repair and renovation of the memorial centre, but the Ministry of Housing and Public Works was yet to sanction the funds.
Responding to a long-standing demand of the people of Rangpur, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 1997 took up a project to set up a memorial and acquired 3.45 acres of land for it.
Built at a cost of about Tk4 crore, the Rokeya Memorial Centre was formally inaugurated on July 1, 2001 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Later, in 2004, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs handed over the centre to the Bangla Academy.
