Dr Hameeda Hossain is a pioneering Bangladeshi historian, author, and human rights academic. She began her career as an editor and co-founded the influential political magazine Forum in 1969 to challenge systemic inequities. Following Bangladesh’s independence, she actively rehabilitated women survivors of wartime violence and founded Karika to develop local artisanal crafts. Dr Hossain is a founding member and former chairperson of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a premier legal aid and human rights organisation established in 1986. Author of extensive publications covering the ready-made garment industry and women workers, her contributions were globally honoured with the Bangladesh Development Initiative’s (BDI) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.