Birangona

On 16 December 1971 Bangladesh won its independence from Pakistan through the Bangladesh Liberation war. There was mass rape during the Bangladesh Liberation war with an estimated 200,000-400,000 women were raped by Pakistan Army and their collaborators.[3][4] On 22 December 1971 the Government of Bangladesh declared women who had been raped Birangona or war-heroine.[5] President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked Bangladesh to "give due honor and dignity to the women oppressed by the Pakistani army" and called them his daughters.[6][7] Yet many of them committed suicide, a section of them left the country to work as servants abroad, and a great many were killed in the hands of the unskilled mid-wives during abortion. This prompted the government to set up 'seba sadans' to give them clinical support. Kendrio Mohila Punorbashon Songstha was established in January 1972 to rehabilitate these violated women with the technical and humanitarian support from International Planned Parenthood, the International Abortion Research and Training Centre, and the Catholic Church.[8] Later, the government provided them with vocational training and launched a campaign to get them married. Which led to accusations that Bangladesh was trying to hide the Birongonas.[9] The Birangonas have often been ostracised by society and their family members.[10]

Women Rights activists have called for the Birangona to be declared Freedom Fighters (Mukti Bahini).[11][12] Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association and Mitali Hossain filled a petition with Bangladesh High Court to upgrade the status of Birangona. On 27 January 2014, the High Court asked the government of Bangladesh why it should not be directed to do so.[13] On January 2015 the parliament of Bangladesh approved a proposal to upgrade the status of Birangona to freedom fighter status. On 23 October 2015 Bangladesh government for the first time declared 43 Birangona, Freedom Fighters. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said that now they would enjoy the same government benefits as Freedom Fighters.[14]

•  Birangona: Women of War is a play by the British theatre group, the Komola Collective and Leesa Gazi.[15][16]
• Ami Birangona Bolchhi (I am Birangona speaking) is a book by Nilima Ibrahim which had several stories that she had collected from rape victims.[17][18]
• Seam is a poetry book by Tarfia Faizullah that focuses on rape in the Bangladesh Liberation war and the Birangona.[19]