‘On a day when the musky heat blazed forth, almost bursting with rage, and seagulls flew alongside military planes, the room drew its breath as soldiers pushed Lucky, Jamila and Minna inside.’

Join Saima Begum and Hajar Press at Root/25 for the launch of The First Jasmines, the debut novel from the winner of the 2021 MFest Short Story Competition.

Following two Bengali sisters after their military capture in 1971, The First Jasmines tells the stories of women abused by the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Written in stunning, sensitive prose, this is a courageous and deeply moving exploration of wartime sexual violence, survival, and the journey back to oneself.

‘A haunting, lyrical debut, as tender as it is brutal.’
— Shahnaz Ahsan, author of Hashim & Family

‘A brave and powerful novel ... If the story does not break your heart, [Begum’s] prose will.’
— Sorayya Khan, author of We Take Our Cities With Us

About the author:

Saima Begum is a British-Bangladeshi writer based in North London. She won the MFest Short Story Competition in 2021. The First Jasmines is her first novel.

About the organiser:

Hajar Press is an independent and proudly political publishing house run by and for people of colour.

About the venue:

Root25 is a coffee shop and community space where all profits go to Restless Beings, an international human rights organisation and UK charity dedicated to supporting the world’s most marginalised communities through advocacy, activism and humanitarian response.

Visit Eventbrite to book tickets. As a result of the venue’s capacity, spaces are extremely limited. Please do not reserve a ticket if you’re unable to attend the event.