Nileema Ibrahim

1921-2002

Neelima Ibrahim was a renowned academic professor. She taught Bangla at Dhaka University. She was a prolific writer, fought against exploitation on women and struggled to establish their rights in the society, fought against communal disparity, also played a pioneering role in theatre movement. During post-liberation period, Awami League government took steps to rehabilitate the women, who were repressed during the War of Independence. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was very sympathetic towards them and called them as `Birangana' (heroic women).

In 1972, Dr. Neelima Ibrahim was involved with the government rehabilitation program. Based on experiences of the war-repressed women, she later wrote a book titled "Ami Birangana Bolchi" (I am the heroic woman speaking). The two volumes of "Ami Birangona Bolchi" published in 1994 -95 provided personalized accounts of sexual violation of eight women with whom the author had been in close contact when she worked.   A victim of rape in this society doesn't want to disclose her tragedy due to social taboos and family barriers. In Dr. Neelima Ibrahim's book, the experiences of women in Pakistan concentration camps are disclosed on the condition that their names remain anonymous. Those who gave statements to her were from middle and higher-middle class families. About the list of rape victims, Dr. Neelima Ibrahim said Bangabandhu himself had asked to destroy the list, because he had understood that our society would not accept the war-repressed women if their names were disclosed.

Dr. Ibrahims numerous literary awards include Anonnya Literature Awards,  the award went to writers like Jahanara Imam, Nurjahan Begum, and Razia Khan among others.
   
 

Source:

• Ami Birangona Bolchi,

• Ethical Issues Concerning Representation of Narratives of Sexual Violence of 1971