Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani: A Trailblazer in Women’s Education and Philanthropist

Through the Bengali Renaissance, a positive change remarked in the attitude towards women development in the nineteenth century. During this time, Nawab Faizunnesa Choudhurani established a Girls’ School in Kandirpar area of Cumilla with the intension to spread education among Muslim women of East Bengal (present Bangladesh). She contributed all the expenses of the school from the earnings of her own zamindari. As a strict purdah (veiling) system was prevailing in the society, all of the Muslim young women were not interested to study in this school at first. But, her educational and literary works belong to the chronic era when Muslims in Bengal started having the full thrust of colonial acrimony and were of the rock bottom of deprivation and discrimination. However, a magical change occurred in very short time due to her tireless efforts. The enthusiasm of Nawab Faizunnesa had a unique contribution regarding the women’s education and creating women’s awareness in Bengal. Along with her primary concern was the welfare of human beings irrespective of gender and faith. She was such a great philanthropist with respect to the strengthening of the Bengali society.]