An immersive journey into the lives of Biranganas
‘The War is Not Over Yet ’ immerses visitors in the untold stories of female freedom fighters, through a compelling blend of photography, printmaking, video, archival images, text, and oral history
The hall displaying the works of Mashruk Ahmed - at La Galerie in Alliance Française de Dhaka - was quite different from what you would usually encounter at a photography exhibition.
As you step in to witness 'The War is Not Over Yet', you are immersed in the sounds of a documentary playing in the background. Banners hang from the ceiling, displaying 30 portraits of courageous and powerful women who had put their lives on the line for their country.
The visitors spend a considerable amount of time on each piece because dispersed among the line of photos are blocks of texts, telling the unheard stories of the women freedom fighters, also known as Birangana.
Artiste Mashruk Ahmed combined six mediums in his photography exhibition - curated by ASM Rezaur Rahman - including printmaking, photography, video, archival image, text, and oral history. After speaking with 37 Biranganas who actively participated in the Liberation war, he realised one sole medium could not do justice to their story.
The combination of Ahmed's work and Rahman's curation created an immersive atmosphere at the gallery, where the different mediums and pieces somehow all connect to each other.
The banners with portraits of women remain nameless, and their biographical descriptions are scattered in the room, creating a sort of maze that is up for the viewers to work through. All of this was intentional.
"If you just glance at their portrait and name, it probably won't stick in your memory. I wanted people to explore the pieces and make their own connections, so these stories would stay with them," said Ahmed.
The layout of the exhibition was a testament to the urgency Ahmed felt when it came to sharing the stories of these heroes.
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Ahmed's own story began in 2013 during the Shahbag protests.
Ahmed shared, "I once heard a speech from a female freedom fighter who said, 'I will go to war again, and even if I die in the war, my soul will return to that war,' and that speech deeply moved me."
Until then, Ahmed regretfully acknowledges his limited knowledge about these individuals, and realised that his peers were similarly uninformed. In 2016, while studying photography, he felt inspired to make a change.
"A course on social documentary photography gave me the final push to start my work with female freedom fighters, though I wasn't sure if I was capable of it," he admitted.
The journey of bringing these heroes' stories forward did not come without its challenges though. Ahmed recounted how, when he attempted to photograph the mango tree under which freedom fighter Haleema Parveen was nearly shot, she initially showed hesitancy and questioned the purpose of the photo.
"In the end, she was one of the people who accepted me," Ahmed said. Now, the photo of the mango tree is displayed alongside Haleema's words recounting her past.
Ahmed acknowledged the gap in knowledge people had about these silent heroes, and this further motivated him to uncover their stories and share them with the world.
"My aim is to share these stories in schools so that the next generation can learn about our heroes," Ahmed concluded.
Having opened on 21 June, 'The War is Not Over Yet' will be closing its doors later today. It's open for visitors from 3 PM to 9 PM.
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Aklima Begum (Alias)
The photo was taken on the bank of the Buriganga River. When the attack in Dhaka began, Akhlima Begum's parents accidentally left her behind. She woke up to find herself alone. Her favourite dog, Bulu, was with her.
She took Bulu, crossed the Buriganga River, and found refuge with a family. She even brought Bulu along to listen to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's famous 7 March speech at the Race Course Maidan.
Haleema Parveen
At 17, Halima left her home to join the war. Her neighbour Mokbul, a member of the 'Shantibahini', used to frequently torture her family, especially her father. One day, she spat in Mokbul's face and went into hiding.
Mokbul and other Razakars (war criminal) put a bounty of Tk50,000 for her capture. She fought in the war at least five times before being captured by the Pakistani army.
Halima and two of her friends, who were captured with her, were taken to a camp and blindfolded under a mango tree. Just before they were to be executed, someone shouted to spare them, and they were released. To this day, she doesn't know who intervened to save them.
Asia Begum
Before the war, she worked as a midwife. During the conflict, she endured violence in her own way. The Pakistani army coerced her into working and performing abortions.
One of her quotes reads, "During the war, for several months at Pabna Hospital, I personally helped deliver babies for many abused women. Some of these babies were only four or six months along. I delivered hundreds of babies, both alive and deceased."
