Begum Rokeya Padak, named after

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: � ...

, is a Bangladeshi national honour conferred on individual women for their exceptional achievement. The award is given by the

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs ( bn, মহিলা ও শিশু বিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয়; ''Mahilā ō śiśu biṣaẏaka mantraṇālaẏa'') is the government ministry of Bangladesh responsible for ...

of the Government of Bangladesh. The award recognises the pioneering contribution of an individual in empowering women and raising women's issues. Each awardee receives a gold medal weighing 25 grams of 18-karat gold, a certificate of honour, and a sum of cash. The amount of the cash reward was tk 2,00,000 from May 2017. Next it was increased to tk 4,00,000 from November 2019.

Award winners

As of December 2020, 61 awards had been presented: * 1995 – Shamsunnahar Mahmud * 1996 – Sufia Kamal and Nilima Ibrahim * 1997 –

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 ...

* 1999 – Angela Gomes and

Setara Begum (Rahman) Dr. Captain Sitara Begum is a Bangladeshi doctor, Army officer, and War hero. She is one of two women in Bangladesh who has received Bir Protik award. She played a magnificent role in Sector 2 during Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Early l ...

* 2001 – Hena Das,

Maliha Khatun Maliha Khatun (died 24 May 2002) was a Bangladeshi educationist, writer and social worker. She was awarded Begum Rokeya Padak in 2001 by the Government of Bangladesh. She served as the first woman principal of Dhaka Teachers' Training College. ...

and

Beggzadi Mahmuda Nasir Beggzadi Mahmuda Nasir (16 April 1929 – 3 November 2015) was a Bangladeshi academic. She served as the founder principal of Central Women's College from 1956 until 1992 and then as the vice-chancellor of Central Women's University during 1993� ...

* 2002 – Akhtar Imam and Zohra Begum Kazi * 2003 – Taiyaba Majumder and

Maleka Ashraf Maleka may refer to: * Maleka Begum (born 1944), Bangladeshi academic * Maleka Higgins, American shooting victim * Maleka Parvin, Bangladeshi Kabaddi player * Audrey Maleka, South African politician * Shahnaz Parvin Maleka, Bangladeshi Kabaddi p ...

* 2004 – Begum Husna Banu Khanam and Dilara Chowdhury * 2005 – Rokeya Mannan * 2007 – Latifa Akand and

Hosne Ara Begum Hosne Ara Begum ( bn, হোসনে আরা বেগম) is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and the former Member of Bangladesh Parliament The Jatiya Sangsad ( bn, জাতীয় সংসদ, lit=National Parliament, transl ...

* 2008 – Sultana Sarwat Ara Zaman and

Nasrin Parvin Huq Nasreen Pervin Huq (born Bangladesh, 18 November 1958, died Bangladesh, 24 April 2006) was a prominent women's activist and campaigner for women's rights and social justice. She died in an accident at her home in Dhaka, when she was crushed by ...

(posthumous) * 2009 – Razia Hossain and Mamtaz Hossen * 2010 –

Meher Kabir Meher Kabir (5 June 1919 – 13 October 2018) was a Bangladeshi academic and litterateur. She was awarded Begum Rokeya Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 2010. Education and career Kabir completed her matriculation in 1936. She then studied ...

and Ayesha Zafar * 2011 – Begum

Meherunnesa Khatun Meherun Nesa (20 August 1942 – 27 March 1971) was a poet and martyred Bengali intellectual of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Early life Nesa was born on 20 August 1942 in Khidirpur, Kolkata, West Bengal, British Raj. She did not attend school ...

and Hamida Khanam * 2012 – Mahfuza Khanam and

Syeda Jebunnesa Haque Syeda Jebunnesa Haque (born 1 February 1944) is a Bangladesh Awami League politician. She served as a Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Reserved Women's Seat–35 during 2009–2014. Haque was awarded Begum Rokeya Padak by the Government of ...

* 2013 –

Hamida Banu Hamida Banu is an Indian athlete. She won a silver medal in 4 × 100 m relay in the 1982 Asian Games The 9th Asian Games ( hi, 1982 एशियाई खेल) were held from 19 November to 4 December 1982, in Delhi, India. 74 Asian an ...

and Jharna Dhara Chowdhury * 2014 –

Mamtaz Begum Mamtaz Begum is a Bangladesh Nationalist Party politician and the former Member of Parliament of Chittagong-13. Career Begum was elected to parliament from Chittagong-13 as a Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate in 1996 by-election. The By-el ...

and Golap Banu * 2015 –

Bibi Russell Bibi Russell is a Bangladeshi fashion designer and former international model. Career Russell was born in 1950 in Chittagong, Bangladesh to Mokhlessur Rahman and Shamsun Nahar. She grew up in Dhaka studying in Kamrunnessa Govt Girls High School ...

and Taibun Nahar Rashid (posthumous) * 2016 – Aroma Dutta and Begum Noorjahan * 2017 – Mazeda Shawkat Ali,

Baby Maudud AN Mahfuza Khatun (known as Baby Maudud; 23 June 1948 – 25 July 2014) was a Bangladeshi journalist, politician, and writer. She was a member of parliament of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad. Biography Maudud was born on 23 June 1948 in Kolkata, In ...

(posthumous), Suraiya Rahman,

Shobha Rani Tripura Shobha Rani Tripura is a Bangladeshi Writer and teacher. She Belongs to Tripura Race. She received Begum Rokeya Padak in 2017 from the Government of Bangladesh. Biography Shobha Rani Tripura was born on 2 February 1959 in Rangamati. She lived ...

and Masuda Faruk Ratna * 2018 – Zinnatunnessa Talukdar, Zohra Anis, Shila Roy, Rama Chowdhury (posthumous) and Rokeya Begum (posthumous) * 2019 – Begum Selina Khalek, Shamsun Nahar, Papri Basu,

Begum Akhtar Jahan Begum Akhtar Jahan (born 1 July 1952) is an Awami League politician and former member of parliament. Early life Jahan was born on 1 July 1952. She completed her bachelor's and master's at the University of Rajshahi in 1973 and 1974 respect ...

and

Nurun Nahar Faizannesa Nurun Nahar Faizannesa (21 May 1932 – 31 March 2004) was a Bangladeshi feminist and social activist. She was the first elected female member of the syndicate of the University of Dhaka and the National Pay Commission of Bangladesh. Early life ...

(posthumously). * 2020 – Shireen Akhter, Brig Gen Nazma Begum,

Monjulika Chakma Monjulika Chakma (born 26 October 1944) is a Bangladeshi crafts and weaving entrepreneur. She was awarded Begum Rokeya Padak in 2020 for her contribution to the socio-economic development. Background and career Chakma was born on 26 October 1944 ...

, Begum Mushtari Shafi, and Farida Akter * 2021 – Hasina Zakaria Bela, Archana Biswas, Shamsunnahar Rahman Paran (posthumous), Zinat Huda and Saria Sultana * 2022 – Rahima Khatun, Kamrun Nahar Begum, Farida Yasmin, Afroza Parveen, and Nasima Begum.

References

Women in Bangladesh Civil awards and decorations of Bangladesh Awards established in 1995 Awards for contributions to society Orders, decorations, and medals for women * Begum Rokeya {{Award-stub

Award winners

See also

References