Zelekha Khatun passed away on Wednesday after spending most of her life in extreme poverty.
She underwent tremendous suffering when captured by the Pakistan army during the Liberation War in 1971 but was denied the support and recognition she deserved just because of a clerical error.
A resident of Bhuiyan Para village in Dhobaura upazila of Mymensingh, Zelekha was married at the age of 20 a few months before the war began. She was taken hostage by Pakistan forces during a raid on the village.
After a week of torture, the Pakistani army abandoned her in a forest without even an inch of clothing. She used twigs and leaves to cover herself as she looked for a safe passage to the refugee camps by the Meghalaya hills.
She was eventually able to find some people and followed them across the border to the camps. She returned home after the war ended.
In subsequent years, Zelekha made several attempts to be officially recognized as a female freedom fighter or as a Birangana, so that she could receive much needed support from the state. However, all her attempts failed as her date of birth had been listed incorrectly in her birth certificate and NID.
Her age had been listed as 10 years younger than she actually was. Even though there were eyewitnesses who could confirm that she had been captured by the Pakistani forces, her claims were dismissed.
The only aid Zelekha Khatun received was in 2021. Narripokkho organized a program, titled "Women of 71 who have been forgotten," which provided an allowance to Zelekha and other women like her.
She died while undergoing treatment at Gonoshasthyo Nagar Hospital at 8:15am yesterday. She had been admitted to the hospital a month ago as her health had been deteriorating.
She was identified as suffering from chronic malnutrition. Albumin injections directly into her bloodstream proved ineffective.
Zelekha was draped in the Bangladesh flag as a sign of respect, and arrangements were made for the funeral to take place at her village home.