Two Biranganas of Meherpur died. One Birangana works as domestic help in different houses. Another Birangana's daughter claims herself to be Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's daughter.
And she takes pride in being a heroic maiden. Many have received many titles for their bravery in the 1971 War of Independence. Some have been awarded the honour of Bir Shrestha, Bir Uttam, Bir Bikram and Bir Prateek. But Buri, the ‘daughter’ of Bhashan Gharami, Isha (Jahanara), daughter of Mofe Sheikh of Faujdari Para, Saji Khatun, wife of Surman Haque of the same para, and Munzura Khatun, daughter of Mistry Ischardi of Kathpara, Kashyab Para, were not identified as heroes in the liberation war in Meherpur.
Birangana Munjura's daughter Chhepi Khatun is a product of the primeval madness of the Pak Army. The fate of these heroic daughters and heroic persons has not yet been recognised as a freedom fighter.
Their contributions are lost in the passage of time. They are also neglected in the history of liberation war. They are living in harsh reality. Meanwhile, Munjura and Buri have died. After independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came forward to rehabilitate the Biranganas. In 1972, he said to the Birangana in every public meeting, “If someone asks the name of the father of the children of the Biranganas, then tell them that their father is Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. And write Dhanmondi number 32 next to their address.”
Bangabandhu gave the title of Birangana to the abused and abused women during the liberation war. However, the local society and the state did not evaluate the heroes of Meherpur. Their life after independence is going on in difficult reality.
A daughter was born in Munjura's womb due to the lust of the Pakisthani soldiers. Chhepi, daughter of Birangana mother Munjura, said, “My mother had supported the freedom fighters from within the country.
I was born in the arms of Pakisthan soldiers. But no government paid any price for my mother's sacrifice. Even did not recognize her sacrifice. Her mother's death due to lack of treatment still haunts her. Chhepi Khatun burst into tears while saying this.
Chhepi Khatun was born in March, 1972 after the independence of the country. Currently Chhepi lives in Kashyab Para, but she says her father's name is Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and her address is Dhanmondi-No.32.
As the reason, Bangabandhu said that Bangabandhu asked the daughters of Biranganas to identify themselves with this identity at various times after independence.
Chhepi says she has no grudges about birth. Rather, it is her great pride that her mother did not kill her at birth and nurtured her.
Chhepi admits that her mother Munjura Khatun has a dark chapter after her independence (the sale of her body).
Chhepi has lived since that dark chapter. Besides, she used to sell saree from house to house. During the liberation war, Munjura lived in a rented house on the south side of Barabazar Government Primary School in Meherpur.
One day some Pak army men came to her house and forcibly raped her. Fearing that they would be shot dead later, the Pak Army used to rape them alternately. Munzura Khatun told them to accept her demands for the country with her life while she was alive. After independence Munjura was not accepted by the society. Parents and relatives did not accept her. However, a young man named Sirajul Islam married her and gave her the status of wife. But that family did not last long. Later, she died on May 25, 1998 due to lack of treatment. Munjura Khatun is the daughter of wood chopper mistry Isharddi in Mandal Para of Meherpur. Chhepi, the daughter of this Birangana, demands recognition of her mother as a freedom fighter.
Jahanara Khatun (Isha), daughter of Mofer Sheikh of Pirojpur village of Meherpur Sadar Upazila, was another gang-rape victim of Pakisthani soldiers.
Talking to Jahanara Khatun it was learnt that Jahanara was married to one Abul Khan of the village, in 1970. She was 17 at the time. In the meantime, the war of liberation began. Unable to bear the physical torture of her husband, she came out of the house and reached Meherpur around the month of May during the liberation war. At that time, the Pak Army took her to the Pakisthani Army Camp on Meherpur Court Square. There they raped her alternately. She could not return to the village because of this shame. In the post-independence period, the only brother in the village, Fazar Ali, did not give her refuge because she was raped by Pakistani soldiers. Back to Meherpur city after independence, she got married to Mannan Khan, a motorcycle maker. She had to end the relationship with that husband due to mental problem. Jahanara Khatun now sells ‘Shil Pata’. Admitting that she was raped by the Pak army, Jahanara said that during the post-independence period, Meherpur District Freedom Fighters Unit Commander offered help and cooperation at various times, but no help and cooperation was received.
Saji Khatun, wife of Surman Ali of Faujdari Para, Meherpur city. She was nursing her sick husband in early June of the Liberation War.
Saji saw a group of Pakistani soldiers passing by the house.
A group of Pak Army entered her house and started beating Saji suspecting that there were freedom fighters in the house. At that time, the asthmatic Swami Surman died of a stroke while trying to save her.
Those Pak soldiers went into a primitive frenzy over Saji. Later, she had to travel to the college camp of Pak Army every day. Saji gave such information. After the War of Liberation, Saji thought that the independent country would become her new refuge. But no one in this country remembers her. So far no one has come forward to help her.
Meherpur's brave freedom fighter retired honourary captain Md Abdul Malek said that Jahanara, Munjura and Saji admitted to being raped by Pakisthani soldiers. They have supported the freedom fighters from within the country in various ways.
When asked about this, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Hasan, Acting Officer of District Freedom Fighters Command Counsel, said, “If they apply to me with correct information, I will quickly inform the higher authorities about it”.