Tonk movement leader Kumudini Hajong commemorated at book fair

Kumudini Hajong is a struggling leader of the peasant movement against colonial oppression. She has continued to fight on the issues of colonial rule, discrimination, sovereignty, identity, fair wages, agriculture, land, forests or social transformation.

Writer-researcher Pavel Partha made this comment while discussing as an essayist at a discussion titled 'Kumudini Hajong: Juilu Tara, Tarala Jui' on the main stage of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2025 on Tuesday (February 4).

Pavel Partha said that Kumudini Hajong is a witness to colonial oppression, war, epidemic, riot, occupation, looting, environmental genocide and authoritarian history. Many Hajong men and women were martyred in the Tonk movement that was formed against the unjust Tonk system during the British period. However, the most prominent name of this movement is Kumudini Hajong. Starting from the permanent settlement, British oppression, and the blood stains of nationalistic nationalism, it is therefore important to read Kumudini.

Motilal Hajong and Parag Richil participated in the discussion with writer Abu Sayeed Khan in the chair.

The two discussants said that many other unknown women like Kumudini Hajong participated strongly in the Tonk movement. They went from village to village to form farmers' associations, motivating men and women. Kumudini Hajong has been involved in various movements and struggles to achieve rights from a very young age. With the dream of a prosperous agricultural life, she participated in the Tonk movement by risking her life to free the agricultural system and the peasant society from all authority and control. There needs to be a multifaceted study on her struggling life, work and contribution.

In his speech, Abu Saeed Khan said: "Apart from the political stream, various popular uprisings and mass movements enriched and accelerated our national liberation struggle. The Tonk movement was also one such movement, one of whose leading figures was Kumudini Hajong. To build an inclusive society, we must comprehensively grasp the history, culture and language of the struggles of all religions, castes and ethnicities in this country."

Other programmes:

Poet Atahar Khan and fiction writer Papri Rahman discussed their new books 'Lekhak Bolchi' stage.

Poet Abdul Hai Sikder and poet Sohel Hasan Ghalib recited poems in the cultural programme. Recitations were performed by recitative artists Ishrat Shiuli and Kazi Bushra Ahmed Tithi.

A performance by the cultural organization 'Upantik Theater' run by Tahmina Sarwar was held. Music was performed by artists Swarnamoyee Mondal, Anupam Halder, Nurita Nusrat Khandaker, Didarul Karim and Amrit Chandra Banik. Instrumental accompaniment was provided by Raju Chowdhury (tabla), Anwar Shahdat Robin (keyboard), Dipankar Roy (octopad) and Md. Anik Mahmud (guitar).

A discussion titled 'Hosseinuddin Hossain' will be held on the main stage of the book fair on Wednesday (February 5) at 4pm. Ahmed Maula will present the article. Shahid Iqbal and Abul Fazal will participate in the discussion under the chairmanship of Moinul Ahsan Saber.

On the fourth day of the fair, the fair started at 3pm and continued till 9pm. A total of 47 new books arrived at the fair on Tuesday.