Shabnam Ferdousi’s ‘Born Together’ attempts to document lives of Bangladesh War children

It is the middle of January, 1972.

Thirteen children are born in a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a country born out of nine months of war. Five among them are war children whose ties to the homeland would soon be severed forever.

Filmmaker Shabnam Ferdousi was among the eight who had families. Her documentary ‘Born Together’ is about her search for her ‘birth-mates’, who were in the same room as her at Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital.

“The idea came to me instantly: I, too, could have been one of those five. I steadily started to become obsessed with this thought,” said the filmmaker whose mission was to be witness to the lives they had.

Ferdousi does not succeed in finding them, but her 90-minute documentary is about two war children she did find. It also tells the story of a Birangana, a 1971 rape victim, and her child.

The story features Monwara Clarke who comes to Bangladesh from Canada in search of a birth certificate. Her life is strikingly different from ‘Sudhir’, a van-driver, who grows up in a remote village at Thakurgaon. Labelled a ‘bastard’, he tries to live a solitary life.

Sudhir rides his tricycle at Thakurgaon.

Kepri Barman’s family handed her over to Pakistani soldiers to save their own lives.

His mother, Tepri Barman, was handed to Pakistan soldiers by her own family.

“Some people said his sister is pretty, ‘you’ll get to live if you just hand her over’,” says Sudhir’s uncle in the courtyard of their home.

“None of you will survive if you don’t,” Sudhir’s mother stares on as her brother speaks.

Monwara talks about her unresolved feelings for Bangladesh at the Liberation War Museum. Its her first visit in 43 years. She was taken out of the country sometimes around April, 1972.

“I was angry because they gave me away, Bangladesh gave me away… they could have raised me here… why am I in Canada?”

The next story is of Shamsunnahar, a war child, who testified at the International Crimes Tribunal as a prosecution witness.

“She appeared as a witness when a case’s trial began in 2014. She told the court my name is Shamsunnahar, my father’s identity is unknown,” said prosecutor Tureen Afroz.

“I don’t feel bad about telling people who I am. It felt bad once, but not anymore,” says Shamsunnahar. “I never wanted to see my father, it never came to my mind.”

But her reality is harsh despite her strength, Ferdousi observes. 

“At least Sudhir has a home. It’s a shack, but they’re happy nevertheless. But Shamsunnahar? I’ve never been to her home. For her there is no actual home.

“I see her at the bungalow of a tea-estate, beside the train tracks or in a crop field.”

“Where will you live for the rest of your life?” Ferdousi asks Shamsunnahar. “There’ll be a place to stay, if Allah wishes,” is her answer.

Monwara Clarke talks to media persons in Dhaka.

Shabnam Ferdousi in conversation with Shamsunnahar.

‘Born Together’ or ‘Janmashathi’ was premiered at Dhaka’s Star Cineplex on Tuesday evening with Information Minister Hasan Haq Inu and Cultural Affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor attending the event.

bdnews24.com is the premiere’s media partner.

Ferdousi, who graduated from the Dhaka University, has made 18 documentaries and an independent film ‘Ichchha Bashanta’.

She received the Best Shorts award for her film ‘Bishkabbyo’ or ‘The Poison Teller’, at London’s Rainbow International Film Festival in 2014.

She now works as a programme editor for private channel Ekattor TV.

Ekattor TV and Liberation War Museum have assisted in the making of the documentary.