‘Ekattorer Janani’ Rama Chowdhury remembered on seventh death anniversary

The seventh death anniversary of Rama Chowdhury, a Birangana of the Liberation War, writer and symbol of resilience, is being observed today, September 3.

Rama Chowdhury died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in the early hours of September 3, 2018, at the age of 76 after battling prolonged health complications.

Born on October 14, 1941, in Popadia village under Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram, she earned a master’s degree in Bangla language and literature from Dhaka University in 1961. She began her teaching career as headteacher of Cox’s Bazar Girls’ High School in 1962 and later served as a headteacher at several schools for nearly 16 years.

The Liberation War marked a turning point in her life. On May 13, 1971, Pakistani forces raided her ancestral home, where she was subjected to torture. She later escaped by taking shelter in a pond. The attackers subsequently burned her home and belongings with gunpowder, forcing her to spend the rest of the war hiding with her three sons and elderly mother.

She later documented her wartime experiences in her acclaimed book Ekattorer Janani. The book chronicles the violence of the Liberation War, the persecution of women, and her struggle to survive with her children, and is regarded as an important literary account of the experiences of women during the war.

Her personal tragedies continued after independence. Her son Sagar died on December 20, 1971, days after victory, while another son, Togor, died on February 15, 1972. Her third son, Tunu, died in a road accident on December 16, 1998.

Despite these losses, Rama Chowdhury continued writing and published several books, including 1001 Din Japoner Poddo, Agun Ranga Agun Jhora Ashru Bheja Ekti Din, Bhab Boichitre Rabindranath, Opriyo Bochon, Lakh Taka and Hirkanguriyo.

She later became known for selling her own books on the streets of Chattogram, often walking barefoot. Her decision to remain barefoot for years became closely associated with her personal struggle and uncompromising way of life.

In December 2017, she fractured her hip after falling at home and was subsequently treated at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. After months of treatment and complications, she died at 4:40am on September 3, 2018.

Seven years after her death, Rama Chowdhury’s Ekattorer Janani and her personal account of war, loss and survival continue to hold a place in Bangladesh’s Liberation War literature.