Sultana’s Dream: A Journey through Vision and Collaboration
The Department of General Education, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), organized a program titled “Sultana’s Dream: A Journey through Vision and Collaboration” on Monday, 28 April 2025, at its campus in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. Under the program, the ULAB 1971 History Club’s members and students have held a day-long photo exhibition and presentation. Students of the “History of the Emergence of Independent Bangladesh” course of the Department of General Education also participated in a quiz competition on the program theme.
The Liberation War Museum’s founder-trustee, Mr Mofidul Hoque, the brain behind including Sultana’s Dream in the Regional Registrar of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific, was present as the Chief Guest in the program, and he opened the photo exhibition. After the opening session of the exhibition, a discussion took place on the pioneering feminist science-fiction story Sultana’s Dream by Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. In the discussion session, the Department Head, Prof Dr. Shahnaj Husne Jahan, delivered her opening speech, where she pointed out the application of the story in today’s society of Bangladesh, even though over a century had passed.
By taking part in the discussion, Mr. Mofidul Hoque mentioned the necessity and importance of such a photo exhibition and presentation among today’s young generation and the general people. He said that ‘Sultana’s Dream’ was not merely some wishful thinking, but it was wilful thinking of Begum Rokeya. The chief guest also distributed prizes among the winners of the quiz competition. One of the executives of the ULAB 1971 History Club shared their experience of selecting photos for the exhibition and mentioned how they connected Sultana’s Dream to SDG 17. The program ended with a Thanksgiving by the Club President.
In 2024, UNESCO’s Memory of the World regional register inscribed ‘Sultana’s Dream’ in recognition of human innovation and imagination.