Begum Rokeya

(1880 - 1932)

A novelist, an essaysist, and an activist, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (later known by the honorific Begum Rokeya) ran schools for Muslim girls in her native Bengal. Her published works include Sultana’s Dream, a science fiction novella, and Padmarag, a feminist utopian novel. She founded the Muslim Women’s Association in 1916. In Bangladesh, December 9 is celebrated as Rokeya Day.