| Meherun Nesa | |
| Caption: | The bloody events of the Liberation War witnessed the deaths of 30 lakhs people, among who were poets, writers, professors, and other members of the intelligentsia. Many films and documentaries over the years have recounted various momentous events of 1971. A docu-drama highlighting the first martyred female poet Meherunnesa has recently been made. Titled “Meherunnesa”, the short film is directed by filmmaker Riaz Mahmud Mithu. “Meherunnesa” was first screened on the event of Liberation War Museum's 21st anniversary and Independence Day last month. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.The short film examines all aspects of the poet martyrs life, according to the director. Cast members in the documentary include Paru, Nishi, Raju, Ali, Sabrina, Shubhra, Hasan and more. Meherunnesa's elder sister Momena Begum and lawmaker Kazi Rosy have been interviewed in the film as well. Born in 1942 in Kolkata to parents Abdur Razzak and Nurunnesa, Meherunnesa's family made their way to the-then East Pakistan following Partition in 1947. The self-taught poet had begun writing from a tender age, with her first poem “Chashi” published when she was ten years old. Most of her poems in the subsequent years were published in the then weekly magazine “Begum”. She was involved in the 1969 uprisings against West Pakistan, and remained active in protests against Pakistani occupation and its oppressions. On March 23, days before the Liberation War broke out, she hoisted the flag of Bangladesh at her house. Her activism tragically ended with her murder on March 27, 1971, marking her as the first female martyr. |
| Birth Date: | 20 August 1942 |
| Birth Place: | Khidirpur, Bengal, British India |
| Death Place: | West Nakhalpara, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Occupation: | Poet, cultural activists |
| Nationality: | Bangladeshi |
| Citizenship: | Bangladesh |
Meherun Nesa (20 August 1942 – 27 March 1971) was a poet and martyred Bengali intellectual of the Bangladesh Liberation War.[1]
Nesa was born on 20 August 1942 in Khidirpur, Kolkata, West Bengal, British Raj. She did not attend school but was self-taught. She moved with her family to East Bengal, Pakistan in 1950 after the partition of India.[2]
Nesa worked as a copywriter in Bangla Academy, after which she worked at the Philips Radio Company starting in 1961. She worked as a copywriter in the USIS Library Dhaka operated by United States Information Agency.
Nesa published her first poem, Chashi (চাষি), in 1953 in the Daily Sangbad. Her poems were influenced by romanticism and realism, and expressed her political views. She demanded Bangla to be made a state language through her poetry. Her poems were published by a number of publications including Pakistani Khabar, Dainik Pakistan, Sangram and Philips Magazine, etc.
She was involved in the Mass uprising of 1969, and member of the Action Committee in Mirpur. On 23 March 1971 she hoisted the flag of Independent Bangladesh in her house.
On 27 March 1971 her house in Mirpur, Dhaka was attacked by local collaborators of Pakistan army including Biharis. She along with her family were killed by them. Her two brothers and mother were killed along with her.
The Bangladesh post office released stamps with her image on 14 December 1995.
Abdul Quader Mollah, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, was charged with her death and the death of her family.[3] Mollah was hanged on 12 December 2013.[4]