- Shamsunnahar Mahmud
Infobox Person
name =
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birth_date = 1908
birth_place =Feni District
death_date = 1964
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education = Diocesan College ofCalcutta
occupation =writer ,politician andeducator
spouse = Wahiuddin Mahmud
parents =
children =Shamsunnahar Mahmud ( _bn. শামসুন্নাহার মাহমুদ) (1908 – 1964) was a
writer ,politician andeducator inBengal during the early 20th century. She was a leader ofIslamic feminism inBengal after the death ofRoquia Sakhawat Hussain [Banu 135] .Early life
Her father, Mohammad Nurullah, was a Munsiff the son of
Khan Bahadur Abdul Aziz and the father ofHabibullah Bahar Chowdhury , who was Mahmud's brother. She was born in 1908 inFeni District .Her childhood was spent in
purdah inChittagong . She had a maleHindu tutor, but acloth wall was set between them duringteaching [Amin 158] Shamsunnahar commenced her studies at Khastagir Girls' High School inChittagong , and matriculated in 1926 as an independent student. In 1927, she married Wahiuddin Mahmud, who pushed his wife to pursue further studies. She received her I.A. in 1928 and B.A. in 1932 at the Diocesan College ofCalcutta . After receiving the B.A., her achievement was commemorated in a reception held for her at the Sakhawat Memorial High School. In this reception,Roquia Sakhawat Hussain herself extolled her achievements as both pioneering and honorable [Amin 159] . In 1942 she completed her M.A. in theBengali language [http://banglapedia.org/HT/M_0073.HTM Mahmud, Shamsunnahar]Banglapedia ] . After her studies she joined afeminist movement pioneered byRoquia Sakhawat Hussain , a prominent social reformer [ [http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/02/01/stories/2007020101140300.htm History in black and white]The Hindu - February 1, 2007] .Career
Her career began as she taught the
Bengali language at Lady Brabourne College. While domiciled inKolkatta , she became acquainted withKazi Nazrul Islam , and the latter inspired to former to begin writing.She worked as the secretary for the Nikhil Banga Muslim Mahila Samity ("All Bengal Muslim Women's Society"). She visited
Turkey and theMiddle East as a representative ofEast Pakistan in 1952. She led a delegation to theInternational Council of Women inColombo and joined theInternational Friendship Organization asAsia 's regional director and made visits to several Western countries, including theUnited States ,England ,France , andItaly . In 1961, she established a Center forDisabled children and was elected to the National Assembly in 1962.Works
Magazines
*"Angur" (Grapes)
*"Naoroz" (New Dawn)
*"Atmashakti"(Self-strength [ [http://www.miraura.org/lit/skgl/skgl-04.html Glossary of Sanskrit Terms in Integral Yoga Literature] -Integral Yoga ] )
*"Bulbul", 1933Other works
*"Punyamayi", 1925
*"Phulbagicha", 1935
*"Begum Mahal", 1936
*"Roquia Jibani" (The firstbiography ofRoquia Sakhawat Hussain Papanek 39] , 1937
*"Shishur Shiksa", 1939
*"Amar Dekha Turaska", 1956
*"Nazrulke Yeman Dekhechhi ", 1958Notes
References
*Amin, Sonia. The World of Muslim Women in Colonial Bengal, 1876-1939. BRILL, 1996. ISBN 9004106421
*Banu, U. A. B. Razia Akter.Islam in Bangladesh. BRILL, 1992. ISBN 9004094970
*Papanek, Hanna.Sultana's Dream: And Selections from the Secluded Ones. Feminist Press, 1988. ISBN 0935312838
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