Keeping intact its distinctly suave tone, the magazine played an important role to awaken the women of the country and helped them to come out from the thraldom of religious fundamentalism, conservativeness and superstitions, said the speakers at a discussion at the Mahila Samity auditorium in the capital.

"The Begum tried to gradually break the barricades that held back women. But women's struggle is yet to end as incidents of women and children repression, superstitions and religious fundamentalism still prevails," said Nurjahan Begum, editor of the weekly.

Women in this country need to achieve more courage, quality and education to keep pace with the women abroad, Nurjahan said, adding that women's development will be faster now as they have started to come out from home.

"Begum played an important role in societal change and it would not be possible for Begum to last for long 60 years if it could not contribute a great deal to the society," said litterateur Selina Hossain adding that if we ever try to write the history of Bangladesh, the women of this country and their movement, we must acknowledge the role of Begum.

"We should nurture the spirit of Begum that contains something to inspire," said Maleka Begum who conducted a research on the weekly's role in social change.

She handed over a set of her research book to Nurjahan Begum.

The first women's magazine with photographs started its publication from Kolkata on July 20, 1947 with Mohammad Nasiruddin as the initiator and Begum Sufia Kamal as the editor. After a few months Nurjahan Begum took its charge as editor.

The magazine was shifted to the then East Pakistan in 1950 and started publication from Patuatuli in Dhaka.

Even after the passage of a long time, the Begum has maintained its own features and played an important role in creating awareness among women, the speakers said.

Paying tribute to the weekly's initiator Mohammad Nasiruddin, first editor Begum Sufia Kamal and present Editor Nurjahan Begum, the speakers said, Begum worked for spreading knowledge and arouse awakening among women even in rural areas.

A number of famous women writers in the country started as contributors of Begum that published features and articles on women, health, children and literature from the very beginning, they said.

Among others, Rabeya Khatun, Latifa Akand, Kazi Madina, Selina Doza Punni, Anwara Begum Ranu, Selina Khalek, Sayeeda Khanom, Rizia Rahman and Dr Nazma Siddiki, and Flora Nasreen Khan spoke.