Kumudini Hajong, veteran woman leader of historic Tanka Movement, dies at 92

She passed away at her residence in Baheratoli village at the age of 92

Kumudini Hajong, a veteran woman leader of the historic Tanka Movement in Netrokona’s Durgapur Upazila, has died at the age of 92.

She passed away at her residence at Baheratoli village in the Upazila’s Kullagora Union at 1:40pm on Saturday, said Paltan Hajong, general secretary of the Bangladesh National Hajong Organisation.

Kumudini leaves behind three sons and two daughters.

She died from old-age complications.

One of her daughters lives in Dhaka. The time for Kumudini’s last rites will be decided once she returns home, Paltan said.

Durgapur’s Hajong community played an eminent role in the historic Tanka Movement under the leadership of communist leader Comrade Mani Singh. Kumudini’s husband Lankeshwar Hajong also participated in the movement.

Armed forces from the Eastern Frontier Rifles attacked Lankeshwar’s home in Baheratoli on Jan 31, 1946. They tried to abduct Kumudini after she defied an order to reveal her husband’s whereabouts. When news spread, hundreds of Hajong activists, led by another woman leader named Rashmoni, formed a resistance to foil the attack.

The armed forces opened fire on Hajong activists when they tried to free Kumudini. Several protesters, including Rashmoni and Surendra Hajong, died in the incident. The Indian forces later fled the scene. The Tanka agrarian struggle ended in 1950, in the wake of the movement.