PM hosts tragic heroine of ‘71
Forty-two long years have passed. There is nobody to take care of her, no government before today cared to look after her. But she made the supreme sacrifice for the independence of the country.
She is Roma Chowdhury, a Birangana.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after learning about her from media reports, started to gather information about her through her Special Assistant (Media) Mahbubul Hoque Shakil. Eventually she invited Roma around to her official residence Ganobhaban.
Roma Chowdhury called on the Prime Minister this morning at Ganobhaban.
When the Prime Minister and Roma Chowdhury came across each other, an emotional atmosphere punctuated the Ganobahban meeting room as both shed tears.
Sheikh Hasina embraced Roma with great affection, and Roma embraced her back. The Prime Minister came down for the meeting barefooted, asking the heroic woman to sit beside her. But the prime minister’s bare feet was not just an empty gesture.
Roma, a post-graduate from Dhaka University in 1961, has traversed the soil of independentBangladesh with no footwear on. In fact, since May 13, 1971 – the date on which she was violated by the Pakistani occupational forces at her village home at Boalkhali in Chittagong. She lost her husband and three children in 1971.
She now sells her own books on the streets of Chittagong to earn money for her livelihood. So far she has written 19 books.
Roma presented three of her books Ekattorer Janani, Ek Hajar Ek Din Japoner Poiddya and Bhab Boichitte Rabindranath, to the Prime Minister.
In reply the Prime Minister asked her officials to present her books to Roma Chowdhury.
Hasina requested Roma to continue writing so that the people of the country will know the unknown stories of the Liberation War.
Roma invited the Prime Minister to visit her when she is in Chittagong next. She also relayed her misery during the Liberation War.
The Prime Minister related Roma’s situation to her own, remarking how she and her younger sisterare now alive, after almost their entire family was killed on 15th August, 1975.
Hasina said that she has been working devotedly for the welfare of the people as she lost most of the members of her family, including Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She also told Roma about her and Sheikh Rehana’s children and their studies, and their social and professional activities.
In this connection she said that daughter of Sheikh Rehana, Tulip, got the nomination of Labour Party in UK and will contest the next election that will be held in 2015.
Roma advised Hasina to be more careful as her life was under threat.
“Threat is everywhere now as the razakars and anti-liberation forces are now spread all over the world,” Hasina replied.
Sheikh Hasina said she is working for the nation facing all the challenges.
In this regard, she mentioned the barbaric 21st August grenade attack that was carried out to eliminate her and the Awami League leadership.
Recalling the memories of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi, the Prime Minister said, the building housing the museum was the center of all struggles during the movement for independent Bangladesh.
During the final stage of the long struggle, Bangabandhu declared the independence of Bangladesh from the grounds of this museum.
That is why she and her younger sister handed over this historic building to the nation and formed a Trust from where the families of the freedom fighters are provided financial assistance.
In this connection, she laid emphasis on learning the real history of country’s war of liberation saying Bangabhaban would play very important role in this regard.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistants Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, Alauddin Khokon, who always keeps close contacts with Roma, former BCL leader Shimanto Talukder and Chandan Das were, among others, present.
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