War Of Independence
Poems on women’s contribution recited
When it comes to contributions in the war of independence in 1971, the male freedom fighters are generally highly glorified in this patriarchal society and the women who also played heroic roles in the war often go unsung. A programme was held to recognise the contributions of those unsung women freedom fighters who did not care risking their lives for the freedom of their country at the Music and Dance Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Wednesday.
The programme was organised by recitation organisation Charukantha Abritti Sangsad. The artistes of the organisation—GM Morshed, Mahzabin Tithi, Padmaboty Devi, Anowar Parvez, Farzana Rahman Rosy and Gulshan Ara Luna, recited a compilation titled Matar E Asrudhara at the show. Matar E Asrudhara is actually a collection of poems, articles, books and other documents on the war of independence, highlighting the contribution of women. The production was jointly compiled by GM Morshed and Jhinuk Halder, while directed by GM Morshed.
Matar E Asrudhara shows the heroism of womanhood in contrary to the general account of the war where women’s role is minimised to being sexually abused by the invading Pakistani army and their Bengali collaborators called razakar. Thus, the production reveals the struggle of Roma Das, who was a student of Dhaka University at the time of war and contributed in the war through supporting the freedom fighters, in the very beginning.
Courage of Saira Banu, a freedom fighter who did not hesitate even to go against her razakar father, and Sokhina Banu, who saved her nephew from the invading army, was also delineated at the programme.
However, the heart-wrenching agony and struggle of what some of the women in this country went through during the days of war was also illustrated through the production. The painful stories of Kakon Devi and Prova Rani Malakar, two of the biranganas who were severely tortured by the army, were also read out at the show.
About the production, GM Morshed told New Age that it was homage by Charukantha Abritti Sansad for the women freedom fighters and birangonas.
Audiences, both men and women, seem to be totally engrossed by the presentation. Runa Akhter, a college student, told New Age that she was glad she attended the show for she came to know about the valiant stories of the women freedom fighters in the war. ‘As a woman, I am inspired to know about the heroism of the courageous women of this land,’ said Runa Akhter.
Hasib Rahman Turjo, who is also a college student, said that the show was moving and he really liked it.
-With New Age input
