Who Dare Calls Us but a Bangalee?
22 August 2013, 18:08 PM
UPDATED
22 August 2013, 14:25 PM
1971 Refugees
When I Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, aka Begum Rokeya, was doing social work in undivided Bengal in the early 20th century working for gender equality, and when I established the first school for mainly Muslim girls, I was wearing a ghomta.
When I Sufia Kamal embraced our Muktijuddho, and when I worked against every despotic system, and when I campaigned for the trial and punishment of the 1971 war criminals, and when I led Mahila Parishad and BRAC, my head was always covered in a ghomta.
When I Jahanara Imam, because of my liberal upbringing in a progressive Muslim family and education, formed the Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee against the 1971 killers and collaborators, and when I lost my son freedom-fighter Shafi Imam Rumi, I was draped in a ghomta.
When I Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib remained the better half of a young man to his becoming Bangabandhu to this country's president, I was always blessed with a ghomta.
When I a Bangalee woman ran for my life to escape torture, humiliation, rape, and death by the brutal Pak Army, I covered my head in a ghomta.
When I trained myself, picked up arms, schemed to annihilate the occupying Pak army, and travelled the land in 1971 alongside the men, never ever was I without my ghomta.
When I Fauzilatunnesa Bulu was 52 years age and the war broke out, I organised and prepared soldiers for battle, but they would never accept me without my ghomta.
When I Rounak Mohol Diluba Begum recruited, organized, and helped train young men to fight in our war of liberation, I attired myself in my ghomta.
A woman votes during Bangladesh's election in December, 2008.
When I am introduced as a woman who was raped in ekattur by the Pakistani army and was later rejected by my family and also forgotten by the government, I remained resolute with others like me in our ghomta.
When I cast my vote in the national elections to elect our MPs and thereby our Prime Minister, and Leader of the Opposition, I am elegantly dressed in a ghomta.
When I Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister am leading my government, meeting world leaders, delivering my speech at the UN, it is unthinkable that I shall not have my head adorned in a ghomta.
When I Khaleda Zia as Leader of the Opposition and even when I was Prime Minister, take part in national and international meetings and parleys, and although we do not see eye to eye on most matters, there is one thing common with our Prime Minister, and that is the ghomta.
Freedom-fighter Fauzilatunnesa Bulu. Photo: Elizabeth Herman
When I Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury am conducting the Jatiya Sangsad as its first woman speaker, a pride I share with women and men all over the world, I am sat in the manoniyo Speaker's chair in a ghomta.
When I am offering my namaaz or I am attending the Puja, my whole being is sanctified by the ghomta.
When I an injured survivor of the Rana Plaza collapse am attending a follow-up medical treatment, I am comfortable in my ghomta.
When I Kabori Sarwar acted in movies as a virtuous woman of this land and now when I pursue my political career, I have my ghomta.
When I starred in a Satyajit Ray movie as a traditional Bangalee woman, the great maestro had my head dressed in the ways of this land, in a ghomta.
When I am wed as a Muslim bride or a Hindu, my bridal dress consists of a very pretty ghomta.
But no one has ever dared call us anything but a Bangalee.
And, of course, you can remain a Bangalee without wearing a ghomta; we are that much udaar even without singing the songs of the Bangalee Nobel Laureate who also said, “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence”.
A woman votes during Bangladesh's election in December, 2008.
When I am introduced as a woman who was raped in ekattur by the Pakistani army and was later rejected by my family and also forgotten by the government, I remained resolute with others like me in our ghomta.
When I cast my vote in the national elections to elect our MPs and thereby our Prime Minister, and Leader of the Opposition, I am elegantly dressed in a ghomta.
When I Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister am leading my government, meeting world leaders, delivering my speech at the UN, it is unthinkable that I shall not have my head adorned in a ghomta.
When I Khaleda Zia as Leader of the Opposition and even when I was Prime Minister, take part in national and international meetings and parleys, and although we do not see eye to eye on most matters, there is one thing common with our Prime Minister, and that is the ghomta.
Freedom-fighter Fauzilatunnesa Bulu. Photo: Elizabeth Herman
When I Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury am conducting the Jatiya Sangsad as its first woman speaker, a pride I share with women and men all over the world, I am sat in the manoniyo Speaker's chair in a ghomta.
When I am offering my namaaz or I am attending the Puja, my whole being is sanctified by the ghomta.
When I an injured survivor of the Rana Plaza collapse am attending a follow-up medical treatment, I am comfortable in my ghomta.
When I Kabori Sarwar acted in movies as a virtuous woman of this land and now when I pursue my political career, I have my ghomta.
When I starred in a Satyajit Ray movie as a traditional Bangalee woman, the great maestro had my head dressed in the ways of this land, in a ghomta.
When I am wed as a Muslim bride or a Hindu, my bridal dress consists of a very pretty ghomta.
But no one has ever dared call us anything but a Bangalee.
And, of course, you can remain a Bangalee without wearing a ghomta; we are that much udaar even without singing the songs of the Bangalee Nobel Laureate who also said, “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence”.
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