Full Name: Jahanara Imam
Birth Date: May 3, 1929
Birth Place: Murshidabad, West Bengal, British India
Died: June 26, 1994
Death Place: Michigan, US
Education: Calcutta University, Dhaka University
Occupation: Writer, Political Activist
Spouse (s): Shariful Alam Imam Ahmed
Religion: Islam
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Jahanara Imam was a well-known writer and political activist who is the writer of her autobiographical book ‘Ekattorer Dingulee’. She is regarded as ‘Shaheed Janani’ (Mother of Martyrs) across the country as her son Shafi Imam Rumi died during the liberation war of Bangladesh. Jahanara is the first woman in the country who raised her voice demanding the trial of those accused of committing war crimes during the war in 1971.
Jahanara Imam Early Life:
Jahanara Imam was born on May 3, 1929, in Murshidabad, West Bengal, British India in a Muslim family to Syed Abdul Ali and Hamida Ali. She was the elder among three brothers and four sisters.
Her father was a Deputy Magistrate and roamed in the different corners of the country for her father’s post. At that time women’s education went under pressure, but her mother determined that her daughter’s education wouldn’t be constrained.
In 1945, she completed her education at Carmichael College in Rangpur. Then she moved to Kolkata in pursuing higher education and admitted into Lady Brabourne College of Calcutta University as well as received her bachelor’s degree. She also received a master’s degree in Bengali Language and Literature from Dhaka University in 1962 and a bachelor’s degree in Education from the same university.
Jahanara Imam Career:
Jahanara Imam kicked off the career journey as a school teacher at Vidyamoyee Govt. Girls High School. Jahanara joined Siddheswari Girls School as Head Mistress. She gave up her job to concentrate on bringing up two sons Rumi and Jami born in 1952 and 1954 respectively.
Jahanara also worked as a lecturer at the Teacher’s Training College in Dhaka. She visited San Diego University as a Fulbright Scholar. Imam was also a part-time teacher at Dhaka University at Modern Language Institute.
Her elder son Shafi Imam Rumi joined the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Following several successful operations, he was arrested by the Pakistani Army and brutally killed by the Pakistanis.
After the independence of the country, all her friends of Rumi accepted her as the mother of all freedom fighters and she is considered ‘Shaheed Janani’ (Mother of Martyrs) around the country. She formed Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee for demanding the highest punishment of war criminals.
Personal Life:
Jahanara Imam married Shariful Alam Imam Ahmed who was a civil engineer who met while studying at Carmichael College. The couple settled in Dhaka and has two sons named Rumi and Jami. She died of cancer on June 26, 1994, in Detroit, Michigan, US at the age of 65.