Partition, Emigration; Indian Muslim Women’s Movement Aimed at East Pakistan

Abstract

Until August 1947, the program of the democratic movement was to eliminate the economic crisis of the workers, farmers and common people and to solve the unemployment problem. But after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, there was a need to remove the backwardness of the Muslim women community, to bring them out of the siege, because the Muslim women of East Pakistan were far backward in education and culture. Muslim women thought that the creation of Pakistan would provide them with more opportunities. They would be equal to Hindu women in education. Later on, they realized that the purpose for their dream of Pakistan would not be fulfilled. Women who were infatuated with the idea of creating Pakistan saw the hard reality and became disillusioned where Pakistan came into being. At this stage few determined Muslim women migrating from India to east Pakistan played an important role in social, cultural and community - building activities that brought the Muslim women out of social oppression in East Pakistan. They tried to bring women out of the veiled society. Women’s participation in the literary work in East Pakistan was very low. Standing at that situation, it was beyond imagination on women to participate in cultural events. Breaking this barrier, Laila Samad played the female role in a stage play for the first time. Women’s organizations sheltered the Mohajirs, who migrated from West Bengal in various camps. Women’s organizations set up camps for refugee women in Dhaka. Moreover, the women protested unitedly against the price hike of rice. They played an important role in securing women’s right to participate in elections, to work in various governmental sectors and to have medical and nursing privileges. of doctors and nurses and the formation of independent Bangladesh from East Pakistan.