ABM Touhidul Alam and Mukter Hossein
55 years old Argina Begum is a rural housewife lives with her husband Ayiub Ali. They have two sons. Their only daughter, who married, has been sent off to live with her husband in other village. Argina hails from a farm-family at Patgramchar in Lechraganj union of Harirampur upazila under Manikganj district and her husband now is involved in family farming. Her sons have already separated and there is not one left to support them financially.
With 25 women in her village, Argina has formed a women organization called ‘Uttar Patgramchar Nari Unnayan Sangathan’ (women’s’ organization). And she serves as president. She plays a vital role in the advancement of rural women for establishing their rights, socio-economic advancement, wages discrimination, girls education and awareness against stigma that hinders women’s’ progress in rural society.
On behalf of them, she communicates the authorities concerned to access social safety net programs. In this purpose, Argina maintains liaison with local government authorities, government and non-governmental agencies which make her a very familiar face to everyone. Being inspired and loved by the locals, in 2022, Argina contested for member of the women’s reserved seat in the local government elections. She lost by a margin of only six votes. Argina Begum said, “Success and failure is both sides of a coin and I learnt from failure, but people of all walks of life in this area have given me encouragement and inspiration which is invaluable in my life. I will always work to take women forward at any costs in the rest of my life”.
