Monday marks the 22nd death anniversary of Nurjahan Murshid, a distinguished leader of women’s awakening, politician, freedom fighter, and one of the organizers of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Nurjahan Murshid, a former member of the provincial council and parliament, was also the first health and social welfare minister of independent Bangladesh. She passed away in 2003.
Around 11am, wreaths will be laid at her grave at Mirpur Shaheed Buddhijibi cemetery, prayers will be offered, and food will be distributed among the underprivileged.
A lifelong advocate for women’s and the poor’s equal rights and democracy, Nurjahan Murshid actively participated in movements against British colonial rule, the Ayub Khan military regime in Pakistan, the struggle for Bengali autonomy, and the Liberation War.
During the early phase of the Liberation War, she delivered a historic speech as the elected representative of the Mujibnagar government at the joint session of India’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, accelerating India’s recognition of Bangladesh and comprehensive support.
The Yahya government confiscated all her movable and immovable properties, sentenced her to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment, and later issued orders to have her shot on sight.
Nurjahan Murshid was a pioneer of the women’s movement in Bangladesh. Before the partition, she was involved in women’s education in Kolkata and connected with the progressive faction of the Muslim League amidst the communal political environment.
On January 31, 1952, under the leadership of Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, a 40-member All-Party State Language Movement Committee was formed, including female leaders such as Nadira Chowdhury, Lily Chowdhury, and Nurjahan Murshid.
In 1954, she won a seat in the provincial council from Narayanganj as a United Front candidate, becoming one of the first directly elected female parliamentarians.
She actively participated in the 1966 Six-Point Movement and the 1968–69 mass movement. In the 1970 elections, she won as an Awami League candidate and joined the Liberation War with her family when the March 25 massacre began.
In independent Bangladesh, she became the minister in charge of the Ministry of Women and Children in 1972 and resigned in 1974 on ideological grounds.
Throughout her life, she worked to ensure women’s active participation in social, economic, and state affairs. She was the first president of Bangladesh Mahila Samiti, the founding president of Azimpur Ladies Club and Agrani Balika Bidyalay. She was a founding member of BIRDEM and a patron of Ain o Salish Kendra in its early days.
She also sowed the seeds of thought on the global realisation of social change, emphasising women’s empowerment in her edited monthly magazine, Edesh-Ekal.
Around 11am, wreaths will be laid at her grave at Mirpur Shaheed Buddhijibi cemetery, prayers will be offered, and food will be distributed among the underprivileged.
