• Home
  • About Us
    • Founder’s Message
    • Where We Work
    • Management
      • Executive Council
      • Our Team
    • Resources
      • Brochures
      • Annual Reports
      • Annual Audit Reports
      • Handbook & Tools
  • Activity
    • Events
    • Our Partners
    • Programmes
      • Ongoing
      • Completed
    • Announcements
    • Press Release
  • News
    • News
    • Media Coverage
  • Contact
  • Webmail
Home > Bangladesh’s First Female Journalist, Nurjahan Begum No More
13 Jun

Nurjahan Begum, the first female journalist in Bangladesh and a trailblazer for female journalists in South Asia, has died on 23 May 2016. She was the editor of Begum magazine, the first magazine for women in the subcontinent, for the last 65 years. Ms Begum was dedicated to the magazine – editing it up until her death at 91.

Begum was Bangladesh’s first weekly magazine with pictures, and created opportunities for many female Muslim writers.  The magazine was founded in 1947 by Ms Begum’s father, Nasir Uddin, who was also a journalist. It was first published from what was then Calcutta (now Kolkata) a month before India gained freedom from British rule, and shifted to Dhaka in 1950.

Some cover pages of Begum magazine

The magazine was hugely popular with Muslim women readers but also attracted the attention of men. It was even distributed to rural areas through the post.

There were few voices for women in 1947, and at that time women in our society didn’t dare to take their own photos. Begum brought major changes towards that attitude.

Ms Begum will be remembered for relentlessly pursuing women’s rights and focusing on their successes in every publication of Begum.

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock at her death. In separate messages, they conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.  BBC

Photos: SALMA AHMED

READ: The becoming of Nurjahan Begum

  • Newsletter
  • Uncategorized
  • Women in journalism

News Network

Latest News & Media

  • ইন্টারনেট শাটডাউন কী? দক্ষিণ ও দক্ষিণপূর্ব এশিয়ার সুশীল সমাজের জন্য একটি নির্দেশিকা
  • Greater internet freedom project
  • What is an internet shutdown? A guide for South and Southeast Asia civil society
  • Capacity Development of Media People for Promoting Tolerant and Inclusive Society
  • ToT programme on Digital Safety and Security of Journalists held in Dhaka
  • Strengthening The Capacity Of Journalists To Promote Freedom Of Religion And Peace
  • Prgramme For Promoting Digital And Physical Safety Of Journalists
  • Our Partners
  • Programmes
  • Annual Reports
  • Where We Work
  • Press Release
  • eNewsletter
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
Copyright © News Network. All rights reserved.