Profession: Bengali poet, litterateur, organizer, feminist and social activist
Recognition: Bangla Academy Award 1962 and Begum Rokeya Medal (1996). Known lovingly as 'Khalamma' (Aunt)
National contribution: Buried with full state honors, the first woman in Bangladesh to receive this honour.
Hasani? Didn't know that! First Bengali Muslim female member of Indian Women Federation (1931)
Work include: Mrttikar Ghran (The Fragrance of Earth) Ekattarer Diary (Diary of '71) Benibinyas Samay To Ar Nei (No More Time for Braiding Your Hair) Ekale Amader Kal (In This Time, Our Time)
Timeline of few major events in Begum Sufia Kamal's life
1918 - Met Begum Rokeya for the first time in Kolkata (then Calcutta)
1923 - Married maternal cousin Syed Nehal Hossain. Published first short story, 'Sainik Badhu' (The Soldier Bride)
1926 - First child Amena Kahnar born. Saogat publishes her first poem, 'Basanti' (Of Spring)
1928 - Credited with being first Bengali Muslim woman to fly in an aeroplane
1929 - Member of Begum Rokeya's Anjuman-i-Khawatin-i-Islam
1931 - Became first Muslim woman to become a member of Indian Women's Federation
1932 - Death of first husband
1933 - Became a school teacher with the Calcutta Corporation
1937 - First collection of stories, Keyar Kanta (The Thorn of Flowers), published
1938 - First anthology of poems, Sanjher Maya (The Twilight Illusion), published with the blessings of Tagore. Second marriage to freedom fighter Kamaluddin Khan and since then known as Sufia Kamal
1940 - First son Shahed Kamal born. Participates in Anti-British movement
1946 - Ran a sanctuary at the Lady Brabourne College for the communal riot victims of Calcutta. Met Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for first time. Started a number of magazines
1947 - First editor of Shaptahik Begum, a weekly women's magazine, Met Leela Nag Roy in Dhaka and becomes member of Shanti Committee
1948 - Became chief of East Pakistan Women's Committee
1950 - Led the Anti-communal Riots Committee during the 1950 Dhaka riots. Daughter Sultana Kamal born
1951 - Established the East Pakistan Child Protection Society. Also took up the vice-chair of the National Literature Society
1952 - Pioneer organiser during Ekushey February. Played active role throughout Bhasha Andolon (Language Movement)
1954 - Established 'Wari Women Samity' and elected first President of the Samity
1955 - Organised the first protest by housewives against rising food prices
1956 - Established Kachi Kanchar Mela, a national children's organisation, at her own residence
1960 - Became the chief of the Tagore Centenary Celebrations Committee
1962 - Led the move to establish cultural organisations to propagate Tagore culture
1965 - Was at the forefront of the anti-Ayub Khan movement, which turned into a mass uprising in 1969
1969 - Became chairperson of the Women's Action Committee
1970 - Chief of the Women's Committee
1971 - Stayed away from all activities after the 1971 military crackdown and also refused to sign an endorsement of Pakistan and its armed actions despite threat to her life. After liberation, presided over the first public meeting at the Martyrs' Monument. Inaugurated the first television programme in independent Bangladesh.
1977 - Husband Kamaluddin died
1980 - Got actively involved in the anti-martial law movement and moved close to the Awami League. Became member of the committee to "Try the killers and Rapists of 1971"
1990 - Was at the forefront of the anti-Ershad/martial law agitation, even leading a procession when a curfew was on
