A five-day long book fair commemorating Begum Rokeya S a k h a w a I Hossain by a publishing house Sralxm opened on December 9.

Die fair Is showcasing complete works of Begum Rokeya, one of the forerunners of Bangalee women’s social and religious liberty, and other titles.

Both her individual works and

a host of anthologies have been kept on display to be sold at a 20 per cent discount. Die show also Includes other women writers’ works on Rokeya.

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain was born in a society hainofl by religious dogmas and where women were never allowed to come out of purda. They had no Individual selves to assert their human status in the society. They were confined within the four walls of their house. This dehumanized condition of the womenfolk in the society made her to think over the emancipation of women. Though women in the late nineteen century were denied of any access to education and knowledge, Rokeya managed by dint of her steely determination to

acquire knowledge and good education to enlightened herself. She virtually paved a way out through her writings. She focused In her essays the claustrophobic condition of women without education and without the slightest knowledge of what constitutes the basic human rights to create awareness of women fallen condition.

Die fair has an Interesting collection of books on Rokeya.The

Collected works of Rokeya, published by the Bangla Academy, is on the show for the inquisitive readers and future researchers. Her other individual works include Aborodhbashini. Narir Audhikar O Anyanno and Brata-Bhagni. Aborodhbashini. as the title goes, is a depiction of women's confinement imposed by the patriarchal society towards them. Rokeya felt a compelling urge to establish women's liberty and inspire them to voice their choice, of course, not dishonouring the basic norms of the society.

There have been volumes of works on Rokeya. Some of them, that are on the display, are Potrey Rokeya Parichlty by Moshfeka Mahmud; Rokeya Jiboni by

Shamsunnahar Mahmud: Begum Rokeya Path by Baby Moudud; and Rokeya: Kal O Kalotyore by Morshed Shlflul Hasan.

Diougii on a small scale, this fair will help disseminate Rokeya's teaching regarding women s dignity and progression.

The book fair will run until December 14.