Bengali science fiction writer Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain had an unusual gift for seeing the future. The feminist utopia she described in her 1905 novel Sultana's Dream imagined helicopters and solar panels decades before they existed.
But even her visionary mind could not have foreseen how, over a century later, her work would serve as the foundation for the first-ever all-women’s winter expedition from Bangladesh to Nepal’s Himalayan Langtang region.
‘Inspired by Begum Rokeya’s teachings, I learned to dream,’ Yasim Lisa, one of the five Bangladeshi women mountaineers, reflected at a press conference in Katmandu, Nepal, on 14 January, following her return from the mountains. ‘Through this expedition, my dreams have become unbounded, especially in a society where women are rarely allowed to dream.’
Led by Nishat Majumder, the first Bangladeshi woman to summit Mount Everest, the team—operating under the banner ‘Sultana’s Dream Unbound’—included Lisa, Arpita Debnath, Mousumi Akthar Ap, and Tahura Sultana Rekha. Their arduous trek to the Himalayas’ Yala, Surya, and Gosaikunda peaks following Hossain’s novel inscription on UNESCO’s Memory of the World regional register is a powerful testament to how the seeds of liberation sown in the past can bloom in the present. The mountaineers’ bravery and perseverance echo that of Hossain, who challenged the gender constraints of her era with bold ideas and unyielding resolve.
‘Hossain’s writings have inspired creative works across the world, demonstrating the global impact of her imagination and creativity,’ said Linh Anh Moreau, Secretary-General of the Memory of the World Register for Asia-Pacific. ‘This expedition demonstrates how preserving cultural heritage can inspire contemporary movements for gender equality. To all the women and girls who have a dream, hold on to your dream, as you never know how far it can take you.’
Since its launch in 1998, UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific has recognized 84 elements of documentary heritage from 27 countries. However, gender equality became an explicit consideration for nominations only in 2020, addressing historical imbalances in representation.
Sultana’s Dream is a bold satire on patriarchy and the conservative norms of society at the time. The story envisions a utopian matriarchy, where women lead and the workday is reduced to two hours, as men previously wasted time smoking. UNESCO’s Moreau said she would classify the work as ‘gender transformative heritage,’ because it is ‘by a woman, focused on women, and reflecting the condition of women.’
Hossain was born into a conservative family and did not receive formal education; instead, she was educated at home, primarily by her elder brother. In 1911, she established the Sakhawat Memorial Girls' School in what is now Kolkata, aimed primarily at Muslim girls in the region. Hossain ‘used education as a tool to liberate Bengal’s oppressed women,’ according to Bangladesh’s Liberation War Museum, which nominated the novel for UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific’s regional register and in addition to organizing the Katmandu press conference, hosted a flag-in ceremony in Dhaka on 23 January.
More than a century later, women in Bangladesh still face societal pressure based on their gender. ‘People always taunt, ‘What good does this do for the country?’ ‘Why should a woman climb mountains?’’ expedition member Rekha said in Kathmandu. ‘But mountains are my mother, and no matter what, I will always prioritize my dreams and my love for the mountains.’
The five women set out from Bangladesh on 20 December 2024, with the goal of scaling Yala Peak (5,500m), Baden Powell Peak (5,857m), and Naya Kanga (5,844m). Dangerous winter conditions, however, forced the team to abandon plans to summit Baden Powell and Naya Kanga. Undeterred, they regrouped and successfully scaled Yala Peak, Surya Peak (5,145m), and Gosaikunda Peak (4,380m), demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
The expedition has already helped to bring Hossain’s vision of women’s emancipation to new audiences. Organizers announced plans to publish a Nepali translation of Sultana’s Dream. They also unveiled an initiative to establish the all-women expedition as an annual event between Nepal and Bangladesh, ensuring that Hossain’s legacy continues to inspire future generations.
‘Many girls are telling us, "I could have been here too; I could have been a Sultana too." This is the message we need to share,’ said leader Majumdar in Dhaka.
For Debnath, the youngest mountaineer, Sultana’s Dream Unbound lived up to its name. 'Before this expedition, I used to set all my goals within certain boundaries. I thought I couldn’t go beyond those limits,' she said. 'But now I feel like I’ve surpassed my own limitations.'
The all-women expedition was organized by Abhijatri, a Bangladeshi mountaineering organization founded by Nishat Mazumder that promotes gender equality and social responsibility. It was endorsed by the Liberation War Museum and UNESCO, and supported by MasterCard, which covered the expedition’s expenses.
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