Body of Rowshan Ara brought back

The mortal remains of Bangladesh Police’s top woman officer Rowshan Ara Begum, killed in a road crash in Congo last Sunday, were brought back home this morning.

A flight of Turkish Airways carrying the coffin of Rowshan landed at Dhaka airport at 5:00am, police headquarters’ Assistant Inspector General (media) Sohel Rana told The Daily Star.

Her first namaz-e-janaza was held at Noyatola Jame Mosque in Dhaka’s Moghbazar at 10:00am.

Her second namaz-e-janaza will be held at Moghbazar wireless gate Jame Mosque at 12noon and will be followed by a third at Rajarbagh Police Lines after Zohr prayers, he said.

She will be laid to eternal rest at Azimpur graveyard in Dhaka.

Additional inspector general Rowshan Ara Begum, 57, died in a collision between a civilian lorry and her escort vehicle on the way to a Medal Parade of the Bangladesh Female Police Unit (BANFPU) in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo.

Begum Rowshan Ara Begum, ppm, ndc, joined police in February, 1988 after obtaining masters degree from Dhaka University and served in a variety of high-profile positions, including that of assistant police commissioner of the accounts section, reserve office, traffic division and training unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Due to her dedication and hard work, she was the first woman police officer of the Bangladesh Police in the rank of a Superintendent of Police (SP) at the district level.

She successfully performed her duty as the SP of Munshiganj from 1998 to 2000. She later served in different units as deputy commissioner, additional commissioner and acting commissioner of police.

She was awarded the “Inspector General Good Services Badge” twice for playing an important role in controlling militant activities, arresting militants, and recovering illegal drugs, arms, and ammunitions.

Rowshan was an advocate of women’s rights and worked with communities, political leaders, journalists, and others to create awareness on violence against women and children, by championing women’s rights issues and combating human trafficking.

In 1999, she was awarded the Anannya award, which is given to outstanding women in Bangladesh by the magazine Anannya.

She served as a crime analysis officer in a UN Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo, and as chief-of-staff in UNMIS-UNPOL Peacekeeping Mission in Sudan.

At the same time, she served as ex-officio president of Women’s Network for UNMIS-UNPOL with members from 42 countries. She was also a recipient of UNMIK Medal and UNMIS Medal.

She left behind her husband, a daughter, colleagues, and a host of well-wishers.