Sreemati Bina Das: A brave soul who offered her life for the cause of her countrymen

 

You appear at your examinations and come out successful with flying colours but are not awarded your certificate of merit during your convocation. Later, much later, you are conferred the degree at a lapse of about 80 years. Does it not sound impossible, amazing or funny? But that is exactly what happened to two selfless revolutionary ladies, both Bangalees and both incidentally having Chattogram connection. In those revolutionary days of so named Agnijug, it was reckoned that Chittagong was to the fore. After the jointly planned Khilafat Movement and Non Cooperation movement came to an abrupt end after Gandhiji suddenly called of the movement after Chauri Chaura incident whole India was boiling.

The British clamp down and tyranny knew no bounds and they played all tricks that they had under their sleeves to keep their milking cow of Indian Colony under their clasp. On the other hand youth and more radical politicians were not comfortable with meager movements of non cooperation and thought that they needed to fight the colonial system face to face or from underground with arms and mobilise the whole population to fight against the oppressors in all the ways possible including armed revolution. Groups sprang up all over India but most were in Bengal, Punjab and Maharashtra. Others were not far behind. Hundreds of young men lined up to get enlisted in such groups to lay their lives down at the altar of freedom. Young girls were also eager to join but were restricted to very few numbers by the leaders due to the lobour, secrecy, movement, torture and other related problems.

Today we are going to talk about two such revolutionary girls of the late twenties and early thirties of previous century. They are Pritilata Waddedar and Bina Das. Much has been written and known about Pritilata, who laid down her life while leading an armed attack on Pahartali European Club in Chattogram. She passed her BA exam from Bethune College under Kolkata University in 1930 and joined Chittagong's Aparnacharan School as its Headmistress before she got herself involved into the armed revolutionary activities under Masterda Surya Sen. Her certificate was kept withheld by the University Authorities. She lost her life in the scuffle at Pahartali by taking Potassium Cyanide after being injured so as not to fall captive to the force she hated. So she did not have time to fight to get back her certificate. Now we will come to the story of Bina Das.

Bina Das was born in Krishnanagar to Mr. Benimadhav Das a Brahmo leading personality who used to lead Brahmo Samaj prayers, meetings and study groups. Bina and her sister Kallyani were attracted towards revolutionary movements in their teens. They became active members of Chhatri Sangha which prepared girls to improve physical strength by running, cycling, bodybuilding, lathi and swordplay, driving, etc so that they can take part in heroic physical acts, if selected. Their mother Sarala Devi was their sympathiser and ran a hostel named Punnya Ashram where such girls were given shelter.

Though Bina was born and brought up in West Bengal, her forefathers shifted there from Saroatoli village of Chattogram. This was confirmed to me by my friend Arka Jyoti Bose, who served as CEO of SBI in Chattogram and Dhaka. One of his colleagues, who happened to be a nephew of reverend Bina Das, came to Bangladesh during Arka's tenure and they could successfully visit and locate the Das homestead. 6 February, 1932 was scheduled to be the convocation date of Kolkata University and young Bina was supposed to receive her degree there. But she had other plans. She hid a revolver with 5rounds of bullets inside her convocation robe and by some context could occupy a seat near the dais.

Sir Stanley Jackson, the Governor of Bengal was the Chief of the ceremony. He was a popular man being the English Cricket Captain earlier. While he was delivering his speech the young lady took out her revolver and fired two rounds. Both missed target. Jackson being a sportsman could dodge both. Meantime Lt Col Hassan Suhrawardy, the first Muslim VC of Kolkata University from the Medical Faculty could apprehend the frail girl. She emptied the balance thee bullets towards the stage but to no avail. Bina was arrested and put under trial. She said in clear terms that Governor was not her personal enemy. He represented the tyrant British crown. Her action was to hit the power that tormented her people endlessly. She was ready for any judgment. She had shown such spirit earlier too.

During her matriculation exam the novel Pather Daabi by writer Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay came out. It contained revolutionary thoughts and was very popular. Young Bina read that book and took less preparation for her exam. In English paper she had to write an essay on her favorite novel and she wrote about Pather Daabi. The authorities did not like it and she got lesser marks than she deserved. She could bother less and said that it was her first little sacrifice for India's freedom. Anyway, in the trials, she was spared her life and put on 9years rigorous imprisonment. Her degree like Preetilata's was withheld for anti state activities. Lt Col Suhrawardy, the VC was rewarded with a knighthood. Later in the 40s he joined Muslim League politics and denounced his decoration in favour of anti colonial movement.

Respected revolutionary Bina Das, who by then became word famous for her brave act served her term in jail and when released became a Congress activist. She won the election to become MLA in 1946 and also after Independence she became a lawmaker in West Bengal Assembly. She married a Congress leader Mr. Jyotish Bhowmik. For social work, she got a Padmasree in 1960. Later after her husband's death she came out of public life. She started teaching but faced difficulties there for lack of certificate. Being disgusted she left for Uttarakhand and choose an ashram life in Rishikesh. It’s our misfortune that nobody cared about her. No one kept any tract. In 1986 she died and her body was found on the roadside to be recognised only after three days.

Many Heroes in our country unfortunately have to embrace such fate. While in Rishikesh she was offered some assistance from the Government which she promptly refused. Thus came to a sad end to the life of a spirited revolutionary. In 2012 before the convocation of Kolkata University was held, the Chittagong Association in Kolkata raised the point that these two great freedom fighters were deprived of their well earned degree certificates; the Chancellor Mr. M K Narayanan ordered an enquiry. The findings were obvious. Decision was taken to award them Certificates of Merit Posthumously. The Chancellor himself received their degree certificates. Thus a little part of the injustice made to the great ladies could be amended. Salute to both the brave hearts. May their souls rest in eternal peace.


The writer is a heritage hunter
and loves travelling.