Martyred poet Meherunnesa

Poet Meherun Nesa, despite of being the first Martyred Female Poet hardly anyone knew her name. Mostly because, majority of her family members were slaughtered with her, in the eve of Liberation War in 1971. Her contribution and sacrifices are irreplaceable. Still, none of the cultural or political administrative ever gave her proper respect to commemorate that.

Poet Meherun Nesa was born in 20 August 1942, Khidirpur, Kolkata. But her family moved to Bangladesh after the 1947 sectarian arson. Their business shops were burned down. Their residential house had been renovated into local Legislative Office in Kolkata.  Without proper opportunity, Poet Meher was self-educated. Through the inspiration of her open-minded family. She was very talented from young age. Her first poem 'Chashi' was published when she was 10. She started writing for adults in 1954. Her older sister got married that year.

Her writings were always keen expression of her work, belief and personality. Her early writings were influenced by Farrukh Ahmad. Consisting of more Islamic thinking. Later, 'Begum's Editor Nurjahan Begum inspired her to write for the country, patriotism, nature, excluding the use of Arabic-Farsi words. "Amader dabi mante hobe." and "Rashtrovasha Bangla chai.", the lines came from her poem Rajbondi. Police came to arrest her. Rather finding an underage, they only warned her father to prevent her from doing so.

She did hard labor to support her family, starting from the age of 14. She had multiple jobs. She worked as copywriters at Bangla Academy, Philips and USIS Library. Also, her writings continued to publish in, Shangram, Begum, Ittefaq, Doinik Pakistan, Ononna, Khela, Juger Dabi and many other papers. She even bought leash of a house in Mirpur, all by herself at age of 23. Sadly, her father fell ill and soon after he died in 1969. Ever since, she took care of her mother and two younger brothers.

Poet Sufia Kamal adored her. Poet Abdul Sattar was her friend. She was the editor of Women's Page section in Pakistani Khabar's with alias, Ranu Apa. Her last poem 'Jonota Jegese', was published on Begum paper in 23 March 1971. 3 days before her brutal murder. Poet Meher was part of Action Committee led by Poet Rozi (currently MP) in Bihari colonized Mirpur area. She put up the Bangladeshi map embroidered flag as part of student movement on her house. Ignoring the warnings of the vicious Biharis. But her bravery had to be paid in the price of life, utter shame and defiling of the corpse, of her family. A Mirpur resident Ali Ahmad is a witness.

On 27 March morning, the vile Biharis attacked and slaughtered her whole family with cutlass like cattle. They played football with her brothers' severed heads. Her head was tied to fan with her braided hair and the savages celebrated as her blood splattered all over the room. New generation should know about her. Poet Meherun Nesa's name needs to be on memorials, bridges and establishments. Stories, poems and movies should be made upholding her name. The writer is a filmmaker and journalist