''Begum'' is a Bengali-language monthly magazine founded in 1947. It was

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

's first illustrated women's weekly. It covered the work of Bengali women in literary activities.

History

After founding ''

Saogat ''Saogat'', also called ''Saugat'' ( ''Presentation''), was a leading Bengali literary journal. First published in Calcutta in 1918, its editor was Mohammad Nasiruddin. Abdul Karim, a scholar, also edited the magazine, which was published on a m ...

'' magazine in 1918,

Mohammad Nasiruddin Mohammad Nasiruddin (20 November 1888 – 21 May 1994) was a Bangladeshi journalist and progressive thinker. He became an important reformer of Muslim Bengal in early 20th century and provided platform for female writers. He received Ekushey Pada ...

decided to publish a separate magazine solely focusing on Bengali women issues. He began the publication of ''Begum'' on July 20, 1947, from

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

, India. The first issue had a print run of 500 copies and each copy was priced 4

annas Annas (also Ananus or Ananias;Goodman, Martin, "Rome & Jerusalem", Penguin Books, p.12 (2007) , ; grc-x-koine, Ἅννας, ; 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40) was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High ...

. Women's rights activist

Begum Rokeya Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain") is the commonly used spelling of Rokeya's full married name, Rokeya herself is never seen to use her full married name in this English spelling. In much of her correspondence in English, she used just her initials: � ...

’s photo was published on the cover of that issue. Poet and activist

Begum Sufia Kamal Begum Sufia Kamal (20 June 1911 – 20 November 1999) was a Bangladeshi poet, feminist leader, and political activist. She took part in the Bengali nationalist movement of the 1950s and civil society leader in independent Bangladesh. She led fe ...

was a founding editor. In 1950, the publication base shifted to

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

. Nasiruddin's daughter,

Nurjahan Begum Nurjahan Begum (4 June 1925 – 23 May 2016) was the first female journalist in Bangladesh and a trailblazer for female journalists in South Asia. Begum was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2011 by the Government of Bangladesh. She served as the editor ...

, joined as a journalist and editor; making her as the first Bangladeshi female journalist. Early women writers of the magazine included Razia Khatun,

Shamsunnahar Mahmud Shamsunnahar Mahmud (c. 1908 — April 10, 1964) was a writer, politician and educator in Bengal during the early 20th century. She was a leader of the women's rights movement in Bengal pioneered by Begum Rokeya. Shamsunnahar Hall of the Unive ...

, Selina Panni and Protibha Ganguly. Writer

Selina Hossain Selina Hossain (born 14 June 1947) is a Bangladeshi novelist and the current president of Bangla Academy since February 2022. Her major works include ''Hangor Nodi Grenade'' (1976) and ''Poka Makorer Ghor Boshoti'' (1996). She earned all major nat ...

was involved with ''Begum'' during the 1960s. Initially published weekly, ''Begum'' runs as a monthly magazine. As of May 2016, Nurjahan Begum's elder daughter Flora Nasrin Khan is in-charge of the operations. An excerpt from Begum Magazine, published on March 28, 1948:

Whenever we talk about women claiming their rightful place in society and state, we can't avoid the question of their educational backwardness. It is often said that uneducated women will never be able to claim their right to the state. However, the state itself is at the root of the present lack of education and backwardness of Muslim women. Leave alone the villages. In how many cities women can move about freely and educate themselves?

''Begum Club''

Through ''Begum'' magazine, ''Begum Club'' was formed in 1954. It was the first female club of Bangladesh.

Sufia Kamal Begum Sufia Kamal (20 June 1911 – 20 November 1999) was a Bangladeshi poet, feminist leader, and political activist. She took part in the Bengali nationalist movement of the 1950s and civil society leader in independent Bangladesh. She led fe ...

, Fatima Sadik, and

Nilima Ibrahim Neelima Ibrahim (11 October 1921 – 18 June 2002) was a Bangladeshi educationist, littérateur and social worker. She is well known for her scholarship on Bengali literature but even more so for her depiction of raped and tortured women in the ...

were on the advisory board. The club was closed in 1970.

References

{{Reflist 1947 establishments in West Bengal Bengali-language magazines Magazines established in 1947 Magazines published in Bangladesh Mass media in Dhaka Mass media in Kolkata Monthly magazines published in Bangladesh News magazines published in Asia Weekly magazines Women's magazines