Kakon Bibi
Bir Pratik Noorjahan Kakon Bibi

Bangladesh freedom fighter Bir Pratik Noorjahan Kakon Bibi, who passed away on Wednesday night, was laid to rest with state honour at her village home in Jhirargaon of Doarabazar upazila in Sunamganj district on Thursday, Prothomalo reported.

Kakon Bibi breathed her last at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital at the age of 103 due to old age complications.

She leaves behind a daughter and host of relatives as well as admirers . People of all walks of life bade farewell to the valiant freedom fighter with state honour following a Namaz-e-Janaza on Laxmipur union health complex premises around 3:30 pm.

Different political and socio-cultural organisations, imminent personalities paid their rich tributes to Kakon by placing wreaths at her coffin as the body was taken to her home from the hospital this morning.

Sunamganj deputy commissioner Sabirul Islam, police super Barkat Ullah Khan, Doarabazar upazila parishad chairman Idris Ali, upazila muktijouddha commander M Safor Ali , among others, attended the namaz-e-janaza.

On Monday, she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital due to serious health complications. She had long been suffering from asthma and heart diseases while she had an attack of pneumonia recently.

In 1971, Kakon Bibi was arrested and brutally tortured by Pakistani army because she worked as a war spy and fought against the Pakistan army. She fearlessly took part in some 20 battles including front fight.

Kakon Bibi sustained bullet wounds to her leg at the Ambari fight. She bore the bullet marks on her body until her death.

A family source said Kakon Bibi was born in a family of Khasi community in the Khasi hills in Meghalaya. In 1970, she was married to Shahid Ali of Diraiupazila of Sunamganj. After marriage, the name was changed to Nurjahan Begum.

In 1996, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina honoured her. She was given a Bir Protik title for her outstanding contribution to the War of Liberation.