Illustration: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

Jobeda Khanam Chowdhury was a prominent figure in the language movement in Sylhet. She is one of the first Muslim women in Bangladesh who joined politics overcoming social barriers.

Jobeda was born in 1901 at Jorhat, Assam. Her parents were Khan Bahadur Sharafat Ali and Nurjahan Begum. Sharaft Ali was an officer in the British Police.

Jobeda started her education in 1906 at her father's work station at Dibrugarh, Assam. Later she was admitted to Eden School. She was the first female student of this school.

Jobeda was married in 1919 to Dewan Abdur Rahim Chowdhury who was elected as a member of the Assam Assembly.

In 1928, a conference of Muslim students was organised in Sylhet. Among the participants were Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq, and Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah. Jobeda Khanam attended this conference where she didn't wear a burqa, and it created an uproar in Sylhet.

Initially, Jobeda Khanam joined Congress and was elected president of the District Women Congress. Later she joined the Muslim League. On February 22, 1948, Jobeda Khanam along with some other women leaders sent a memorandum to Khawaja Nazimuddin, Chief Minister of East Bengal. Language movement veteran Principal Abul Kashem wrote a letter to Jobeda Khanam congratulating her on this bold initiative. It inspired Jobeda and she actively joined the language movement. Her female comrades in the movement were Syeda Lutfunnesa, Syeda Shahrebanu Chowdhury, Rabeya Khatun, Rokeya Begum, Nurjahan Begum, Mahmuda Khatun, Sushmita Khatun, Shamsunnesa Khatun, Begum Jahanara Matin, Shamsi Kaiser Rashid, Sofia Khanna, and others.

At that time, a strike was called in Sylhet demanding recognition of Bengali as a state language. Jobeda Khanam actively participated in the programme. Under her leadership, a significant section of Sylhet's women participated in the language movement. Later in 1952 when a regional all-party language working committee was formed in Sylhet Jobeda Khatun became a member of the committee and organised various programmes in support of Bengali langauge.

Jobeda Khanam was also involved in various social work. She was the general secretary of Sylhet District Red Cross for seven years. She was awarded Queen Elizabeth Prize twice for her contribution towards society. During the mass uprising in 1969, a procession of women was brought out under her leadership against Ayub Khan. She also played an active role during the Liberation War and organised freedom fighters in Sylhet.

Jobeda Khan was the mother of five sons and four daughters. She died on January 26, 1986.

Excerpted from MR Mahbub's Jara Amar Bhasha Shongrame (2012).

Translated from Bangla by: Shamsuddoza Sajen