Whenever we hear the stories of brave heroes, the first portrait that comes to our mind is a mighty man who fights against all the enemies. But behind the scenes, there are also some women who ponder no boundaries, not even the darkest battles. Among such legendaries, Nurjahan Kakon Bibi was the eminent one.
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi was one of the bravest Bangladeshi freedom fighters and secret agents during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. She was arrested twice and faced inhuman torture by the Pakistan army. In 1996, the Government of Bangladesh honored her with the fourth highest honor “The Bir Protik Award” for her utmost contribution. However, the path was not as smooth as it seemed. From a helpless and abandoned woman to the honorable owner of “Bir Pratik”, this legend has surfed thousands of turbulent waves. So, Let’s dive deep to know the unknown story of such a legendary fighter.
Early Life & Background
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi was born in a Khasi family at Nayrai Khasia Palli, Meghalaya, India. There are some doubts about her birth year. Some verified her birth year as 1915 and others as 1927 or 1932. No matter what the exact year is, her birth was none but a beautiful blessing for the entire nation.
Even though she is widely recognized as Noorjahan Kakon Bibi. But in reality, she was born as Kaket Hennyata. In 1970, she tied the knot with a man of Derai Upazila named Shahhed Ali. After her marriage, her in-laws changed her name to Noorjahan Begum. On 16 March 1971, the couple were blessed with a child named Sakhina. Even though the day should be the happiest day for the couple. But soon the pleasant moments turned into horrible ones as her in-laws were blindly obsessed with gender discrimination. All the people started to curse her as she gave birth to a daughter. Things got even more dreadful when her husband who was about to stand in all her downfall also turned his back. Soon, the circumstances got so adverse that they had to separate.
Noorjahan’s sister also got married till then. Her husband was a member of the border guards. That’s how Noorjahan met Abdul Majid Khan who was living in the EPR camp and also worked there. In a little while both of them felt something beautiful in their hearts. Noorjahan also found a ray of hope to let go of her horrible past to move towards a new future. The couple got married and soon she gave birth to a son. But her misfortune didn’t let go of her as she lost her child just during its birth. After two months she went to her previous home to bring Sakhina. The time became the most regretful one as she couldn’t find her beloved till her last breath. Even though facing such a dreadful fate, she didn’t lose hope. You will be surprised how this worst condition made the lady to be brave enough to stand for the whole nation. Do you even know that Noorjahan was not just a secret agent, she is also one of the courageous fighters who fought from the frontline against such an oriented armed force.
Contributions
As Secret Agent
In search of her husband, Kakon Bibi started to make her way from door to door. Soon, she went to the area named Dowarabazar. She was quite unaware of what turbulent storm was waiting for her. Kakon had no idea that a war was happening in Dowarabazar. Somehow she got the clue that her husband might have been shifted to Tengratilla camp. As she was a lonely woman to find her husband, in a little while she became the victim of the vicious eyes of the Pakistan Army. They captured her in a bunker and thought her to be some secret agent of the enemy. Thus the inhuman torture started both physically and mentally.
After inflicting suffering for days, she somehow survived and got the opportunity to flee. As she lost her last ray of hope to see her husband at least for the last time, she decided to join the Mukti Bahini. There she met Rahmat Ali, a freedom fighter of Mukti Bahini. Later he introduced her to Mir Shawkat Ali, the sector five commander. The miserable story of Noorjahan greatly moved Mir Shawkat Ali. He also praised the immense courage of her and called her his sister of religion. With his encouragement, Noorjahan stepped into a new journey and became the secret agent of Mukti Bahini. She camouflaged as a beggar and used to roam various streets to collect crucial information.
In April 1971, while spying in Bangla Bazar in the region of Dowarabazar Upazila, she was captured by the Razakars. She faced unimaginable torture which was intensified day by day. Along with sexual torture, they even burned her with hot iron rods. After some days, they imprisoned her at the Pakistani camp in Tengratilla. She was again brutally tortured to reveal the secret. Thus she hit upon a plan and told them she had gone there in search of her lost husband. She told the Pakistani Commander that his husband was also a Pakistani soldier named Abdul Majid Khan. Thus they believed. They even offered to work for the Pakistan Army’s informer. She quickly agreed. Because this would help her to gain proper information for Mukti Bahini more easily. That’s how she started to use the proposal more virtually.
After her agreement with the Pakistani Commander, they gave Kakon an official identity card. As that wise, she got an absolute green card for visiting any place she wanted to even inside the base camp. That opened thousands of ways for the brave lady to lead vital information to Mukti Bahini.
As Brave Soldier
Besides working as a secret agent, Noorjahan Kakon Bibi also took part in a direct battlefield. She participated in more than twenty battlefronts during the Liberation War. In November 1971, she was battling in a front war in Tengratilla. There, she was severely injured by the Pakistan occupation army. Even though she could escape somehow. But the scar was so deep that it remained visible till her last breath
Awards and Achievement
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi was one of the most courageous fighters in the history of the Bangladesh Liberation War. As she never compromised her love for her motherland, her motherland also didn’t forget to honor her dear child. In 1996, Noorjahan was honored with the fourth highest honor of the nation “Bir Protik”
Personal Life
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi belonged to a very poor Khasia Palli family. Because of their financial crisis, from a very early age, she had to face tremendous difficulties. All of her hope remained alive as she got married to Shaheed Ali. But her fate remained in despair as her marriage couldn’t last long. Later she tied the knot again with Abdul Majid Khan. But in a little while she lost her spouse along with the death of her newborn son. Even facing such trauma, she didn’t lose hope. She gave all that remained in her for the sake of her motherland. That made her one of the most fearless fighters of the Liberation War.
Unknown Facts
- During the Liberation War, Kakon Bibi joined the Mukti Bahini which was the guerilla resistance movement formed by the Bangladesh military, paramilitary, and civilians in 1971.
- Kakon Bibi was very dear to the sector five commander, Mir Shawkat Ali as he called her his sister of religion.
- While working as a secret agent of the Pakistan army, she provided all the crucial data to Mukti Bahini. The Pakistan Army even gave her their identification card which she used as a sharp sword to fight against the Pakistanis.
- Noorjahan confronted more than 20 battlefronts during the Liberation War.
- She battled with an SLR in the Amber operation against a group of 10 Pak soldiers.
- While fighting on a battlefield she was deeply injured and a bullet in her leg hit. The injury was so severe that the mark was visible till her last breath.
- She is one of the two bravest female fighters to be honored with the country’s fourth-highest honorary “Bir Protik” award.
Death
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi was admitted to hospital after a heart attack in 2017. Next year on 21 March she took her last breath around 11:15 pm Wednesday at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital. The news of her death was confirmed by Brig Gen AKM Mahbubul Haque. She was having breathing problems and died of pneumonia. At the time of her death, she was quite probably 85 or 90 to 103
Conclusion
Noorjahan Kakon Bibi was not just a freedom fighter. Rather she is the core reason the nation has gained its long-desired independence today. Her story makes anyone speechless as to how a simple Meghalayan woman turned into such a courageous Bangladeshi fighter. The way she overlooked all the obstacles and faced such heinous torture to stand with the Muktibahini was tremendously mesmerizing. Her enormous sacrifice will always keep her alive to crores of hearts. The whole nation will always be greatly indebted to her for her selfless sacrifice.