War Heroine Rama Chy passes away

War Heroine, Birangana and writer Rama Chowdhury passed away at the age of 82 yesterday (Monday). She was undergoing treatment at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) since March 25. She was suffering from old age complications including diabetes and hypertension.

On Sunday, she was transferred to the hospital’s ICU (Intensive Care Unit) from the Freedom Fighter's Cabin, as her condition deteriorated and had to be on life support. She breathed her last  around  4:30am, said Brig Gen Mohsen Uddin Ahmed, director of CMCH. She had been transferred to the ICU on August 25 and brought back to a cabin on August 29 following a slight improvement in her condition. On Sunday evening, she was taken back to the ICU and put on life support, said Ahmed. She left behind a son, Jaharlal Chowdhury, and a host of well wishers. Rama Chowdhury was injured when she fell in her living room in December last year, sustaining a fracture in her waist, said Alauddin Ahmed Khokan, publisher of her books who used to take care of the writer as well.

Around 11am, Rama’s body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Chittagong so that people could pay their last tributes. The body was kept their till 12:30am.

A smart contingent of police presented a guard of honour a Shaheed Minar, while people offered floral wreaths. At 1 pm, the body was brought to the Cheragi Intersection. At around 5pm, she was burried at Popadia village in Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram. Rama was born at her paternal house at Popadia village under Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram on October 14, 1936, said Jaharlal.

She wrote 18 books and used to sell the books herself walking barefoot on the streets even before her hospitalisation. Selling book was her only means of livelihood.

During the Liberation War in 1971 the Pakistani army violated her and torched her house at Popadia in Boalkhali on May 13, 1971. After the incident all of her relatives left her, including her husband.

Though Rama Chowdhury was poor, she did not receive any assistance from anyone.

In 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on learning about her plight, invited  Rama Chowdhury to Gono Bhaban and offered her financial assistance. But Rama politely declined the offer.

Rama completed her MA in Bengali literature from Dhaka University in 1961 and started teaching at Cox’s Bazar Girls’ High School in 1961. She  was the headmistress of Bidugram High School in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram in 1971.

Rama used to walk barefoot after losing her two sons, saying that she could not step on this land with shoes where her sons and lakhs of freedom fighters slept.

Jaharlal said his mother had dreamt of establishing an orphanage at her village in Popadia but could not. He urged the government to make her dream come true.

War Heroine Rama Chy passes away

War Heroine, Birangana and writer Rama Chowdhury passed away at the age of 82 yesterday (Monday). She was undergoing treatment at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) since March 25. She was suffering from old age complications including diabetes and hypertension. On Sunday, she was transferred to the hospitals ICU (Intensive Care Unit) from the Freedom Fighters Cabin, as her condition deteriorated and had to be on life support. She breathed her last around 4:30am, said Brig Gen Mohsen Uddin Ahmed, director of CMCH. She had been transferred to the ICU on August 25 and brought back to a cabin on August 29 following a slight improvement in her condition. On Sunday evening, she was taken back to the ICU and put on life support, said Ahmed. She left behind a son, Jaharlal Chowdhury, and a host of well wishers. Rama Chowdhury was injured when she fell in her living room in December last year, sustaining a fracture in her waist, said Alauddin Ahmed Khokan, publisher of her books who used to take care of the writer as well. Around 11am, Ramas body was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Chittagong so that people could pay their last tributes. The body was kept their till 12:30am. A smart contingent of police presented a guard of honour a Shaheed Minar, while people offered floral wreaths. At 1 pm, the body was brought to the Cheragi Intersection. At around 5pm, she was burried at Popadia village in Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram. Rama was born at her paternal house at Popadia village under Boalkhali upazila in Chattogram on October 14, 1936, said Jaharlal. She wrote 18 books and used to sell the books herself walking barefoot on the streets even before her hospitalisation. Selling book was her only means of livelihood. During the Liberation War in 1971 the Pakistani army violated her and torched her house at Popadia in Boalkhali on May 13, 1971. After the incident all of her relatives left her, including her husband. Though Rama Chowdhury was poor, she did not receive any assistance from anyone. In 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on learning about her plight, invited Rama Chowdhury to Gono Bhaban and offered her financial assistance. But Rama politely declined the offer. Rama completed her MA in Bengali literature from Dhaka University in 1961 and started teaching at Coxs Bazar Girls High School in 1961. She was the headmistress of Bidugram High School in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram in 1971. Rama used to walk barefoot after losing her two sons, saying that she could not step on this land with shoes where her sons and lakhs of freedom fighters slept. Jaharlal said his mother had dreamt of establishing an orphanage at her village in Popadia but could not. He urged the government to make her dream come true.