Tributes pour in for Language Movement warrior Halima Khatun

Language Movement activist Halima Khatun has been showered with love and respect at the historic Amtala near the Central Shaheed Minar where she had stood once for the rights of Bangla as the State Language of erstwhile Pakistan.

Social and cultural activists paid their last respects by placing wreaths on her remains at a programme arranged by Sammilito Sangskritik Jote on Wednesday.

After a long battle with cardiac and kidney ailments, she breathed her last at a Dhaka hospital on Tuesday.

Many political, social and cultural organisations also came to pay tribute to the Language Movement heroine.

“The name of Halima Khatun will be etched in the history of Language Movement. She will be remembered by next generations,” said Halima’s daughter Progga Laboni, a recitation artist.

Halima also a prominent author of children’s literature and had distributed all of her children’s books, published by Progga Prakashoni, among students.

But the government has not included any of her books in academic curriculum, said Progga, expressing her frustration.

Another comrade of Halima Khatun, Language Movement heroine Rawshan Ara Bachchu, came to pay her last tribute to her friend.

“Halima was at the forefront of the demonstration with others when the group of women took out a procession. Everyone tried to stop us, but we did not care. We were determined to break Section 144 (ban on public gathering). I don’t know where our language would be today if we did not do so,” she said of the February 21 demonstration in 1952.

“Halima is no more. But there are many ways to archive her memories,” she added.

National Professor Anisuzzaman said they knew each other for 65 years.

“She was like my sister. She used to take care of me like her brother. She was my senior at my university, but we had taken part in a lot of cultural movements together,” he said.

Cultural activist Kamal Lohani claimed Halima was sick for a long time, but neither the government nor any organisation came to her aid.

“She was a brave woman and conscious writer. She believed in progressive thoughts. It is a failure for our nation to remain unaware of a person such as her,” he said.

Cultural activist Nasiruddin Yousuf Bacchu expressed his frustration at the government not awarding Halima honours like Ekushey Padak or Swadhinata Padak despite her immense contribution to the Language Movement and Bangla literature.

Author Mofidul Haque and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman also came to pay last tribute to her.

Her body was taken to Dhaka University Central Mosque after the end of this programme.

After a Namaz-e-Janaza there, the body was taken to Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals Graveyard for burial.