Begum Rokeya Memorial Complex, Payraband

বেগম রোকেয়া স্মৃতি কেন্দ্র, পায়রাবন্দ

The Begum Rokeya Memorial Complex at Payraband in Rangpur honours Begum Rokeya, the pioneer of women's education in Bangladesh. How closely Rangpur is tied to her name is clear from the Begum Rokeya University in the city itself. The place is meaningful for travellers who want to pay their respects and spend some quiet time in a calm setting. One honest note: the gate signboard puts the centre's closing days on Fridays, Saturdays and government holidays; check transport fares before you set out and the trip will be smooth.

History & significance

Begum Rokeya (1880–1932), a leading voice of the women's education movement on the subcontinent, was born in this very village of Payraband. The memorial centre's foundation stone was laid on 28 June 1997 and it opened on 1 July 2001 — a Ministry of Cultural Affairs project long maintained by Bangla Academy. After years of closure it reopened on Rokeya Day, 9 December 2025, and on the same day the handover file went to Begum Rokeya University. Today the complex holds a museum, a library of about four thousand books, a 260-seat auditorium and a brass sculpture by the pond; the original ancestral home survives only as brick ruins. Every year on 9 December, Rokeya Day brings state programmes and the Rokeya fair here.

How to get there

Payraband is a village in Payraband Union of Mithapukur Upazila — about 13-15 km from Rangpur town along Mithapukur Road. Easy-bikes, rickshaws and buses run from town. The simplest way: tell a local driver "Begum Rokeya Memorial Complex, Payraband" — drivers in the area know it. Do not listen to strangers touting at stations or bus stands — go to the transport yourself and bargain directly. We have no verified fare figures.

Entry fee

No verified entry fee yet

We couldn't verify the entry fee — check locally before you go.

Opening hours & best time

No official schedule found; however, the signboard at the gate reads that the memorial centre stays closed on Fridays, Saturdays and government holidays. Treat the sign as the best available guidance — check locally before you go.

Best time

Morning or late-afternoon daylight visits are comfortable — general advice, not verified fact. For literature and history lovers there is a special date: 9 December, Rokeya Day, when the complex fills up with state programmes and the Rokeya fair.

Traveller tips

Confirm the ticket price and opening hours before you set out — best to ask around while you are still in Rangpur town.
Payraband may be a village away from town facilities, so carry water and some light snacks.
Fold this into a one-day plan with Rangpur town's other sights and you save on transport costs too.
This is a memorial site — look around quietly rather than making a racket.

Location

The exact coordinates of this destination have not been verified yet, so no map location is shown.