Birangona

Birangona (war-heroine) was the title awarded by the Government of Bangladesh to women raped in the Bangladesh Liberation war.

On 16 December 1971 Bangladesh won its independence from Pakistan through the Bangladesh Liberation war. There was mass rape during the Bangladesh Liberation war with an estimated 200,000-400,000 women were raped by Pakistan Army and their collaborators. On 22 December 1971 the Government of Bangladesh declared women who had been raped Birangona or war-heroine. President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked Bangladesh to "give due honor and dignity to the women oppressed by the Pakistani army" and called them his daughters. The government opened medical centres that treated Birangonas for disease and provided abortion services. The government provided them with vocational training and launched a campaign to get them married. Which led to accusations that Bangladesh was trying to hide the Birongonas. The Birangonas have often been ostracised by society and their family members.

Women Rights activists have called for the Birangona to be declared Freedom Fighters (Mukti Bahini).Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association and Mitali Hossain filled a petition with Bangladesh High Court to upgrade the status of Birangona. On 27 January 2014, the High Court asked the government of Bangladesh why it should not be directed to do so. On January 2015 the parliament of Bangladesh approved a proposal to upgrade the status of Birangona to freedom fighter status. On 23 October 2015 Bangladesh government for the first time declared 43 Birangona, Freedom Fighters. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque said that now they would enjoy the same government benefits as Freedom Fighters.

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