Matia Chowdhury, a veteran politician from Bangladesh, was popularly known as the 'Agni Kanya' for her fiery speeches and steadfast attitude.
She was known for her honesty and simplicity.
After the ousting of the Awami League regime on August 5, when many ministers, MPs, and leaders went into hiding or fled the country, Matia remained at her home.
In recent days, her health had deteriorated, and she had been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital for several days before her passing, according to relatives.
Matia was born on June 30, 1942, in Nazirpur Upazila, Pirojpur.
Her father was a police officer, and her mother a housewife.
During her student life, Matia engaged in left-wing politics and was imprisoned several times.
Her father also faced harassment due to her involvement in the pre-liberation student movement.
Matia acknowledged this in an interview with this correspondent.
Though born in Pirojpur, Matia spent her early years in various places across the country, including Old Dhaka and Netrokona, due to her father's government job.
After marrying Bazlur Rahman, Matia focused her political career in Sherpur and was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Sherpur-2 constituency six times.
She served three terms as Minister of Agriculture in the Awami League government in 1996, 2009, and 2013.
Bangladesh achieved many milestones in agriculture under her leadership.
In 2013 and 2024, she was appointed Deputy Leader of the Parliament.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime, when President Mohammad Shahabuddin dissolved the parliament last August, she was still serving as Deputy Leader of the House and as a Member of Parliament.
In her early life, Matia was an activist with the Bangladesh Students' Union, the student wing of the Bangladesh Communist Party.
As a young leader, she played a significant role in the movement against the 1962 Education Commission.
She was elected Vice President of the Dhaka Eden Girls College Students’ Union in 1963 and General Secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) from 1964 to 1965.
In 1965, Matia became President of the Bangladesh Students' Union.
In 1966, she played a vital role in the six-point movement initiated by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In 1967, Matia joined the East Pakistan National Awami Party and became a member of its executive committee.
Between 1967 and 1969, while organizing the anti-Ayub movement, she was imprisoned for about two years. She was released during the mass upsurge of 1969.
During her time in jail, Matia wrote a memoir titled 'Deyal Diea Ghera'.
From 1970 to 1971, she was actively involved in the movement for Bangladesh's independence.
During the Liberation War, she played a key role in organizing the joint guerrilla force of the NAP-Communist Party and Students' Union.
After Bangladesh's independence in 1971, Matia was elected Organizing Secretary of the NAP. She left the party and joined the Awami League in 1979, following the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family in 1975.
In 1986, she was elected Agriculture Secretary of the Awami League Central Committee.
Later, she was promoted to the Presidium, the party's highest policy-making forum, a position she held until her death.
Every morning, people from her constituency and fellow party members would gather at her home in Ramna, and she would listen to their concerns.
In their personal life, Matia and Bazlur did not have children, but Matia had several pet deshi cats.
