Name of Project
The Hidden History of Birangona Women
Artist
Leesa Gazi
Country
Category
Date
2010
Facilitated/Produced by
Komola Collective
Description
In 2010, the first-hand accounts of 21 survivors of sexual violence from the 1971 war, known as Birangona women in Bangladesh, were recorded by Leesa Gazi. In this short video, some of these ‘brave’ women share their testimonies about the attacks they survived. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 women and girls were systematically sexually assaulted and tortured by the Pakistani Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. These Birangona women stand as symbols of the brutality against women in any war situation or society. Their personal stories, dignity, and bravery in the face of extreme sacrifice deserve to be heard.