By Abdul Kalam Azad, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Noted literary activist of Assam Hafiz Ahmed has come up with two important books. His latest book “Naari Shikhar Agrodoot Begum Rukeya” is the first ever biography of legendary feminist writer and activist of undivided Bengal in Assamese language.
Begum Rukeya extensively worked on female literacy and gender equality. Who had written number of books on the woman issues and established a good number of social institutions for female education and woman empowerment in West Bengal. Famous Shakwat Memorial Girls School in Kolkata was one of them.
Begum Rukeya
The present scenario of female literacy in Assam is very pathetic, which is merely 48% and the same is more alarming in case of the women of Char (riverine) area. The female literacy rate in Char area is only 15.4%! Hafiz Ahmed feels that illiteracy, child marriage, polygamy, religious fundamentalism have been tormenting the Muslim women in Assam. The biography of Begum Rukeya will definitely inspire the Muslim woman as well as man to promote female literacy, gender equality and women empowerment in the state. The book was inaugurated on 13th April’2013 at Abhayapuri College (Bongaigaon) by famous poet and feminist writer Dr. Marami Barthakur in presence of a gathering of around two hundred people.
Lakhipur to BTAD
Another book “From Lakhipur to BTAD” (Lakhiouror Pora BTAD’ loi) is a collection of articles on human rights violation and atrocities on Muslims in the Assam. Writer activist Hafiz Ahmed has successfully depicted the picture of inhuman atrocities on Muslims of the state and gross violation of human rights by the police administration in the state. The book critically analyses the incidents of Lakhipur (2008), Barpeta (2010), Rangiya (2010), Besimari (2011), BTAD (2012) etc. One crucial open letter addressed to chief minister of Assam has also included in the book.
Both the books are published by Char Chapori Sahitya Parishad, Asom.