Women’s movement leader Ayesha Khanam passes away

President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Ayesha Khanam passed away early Saturday morning. General secretary of Mahila Parishad Maleka Banu issued a statement on Saturday, announcing the death of the veteran leader of the country’s women’s movement.

She was 74.

Ayesha Khanam had been suffering from various diseases including cancer.

The body of Ayesha Khanam was brought to the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad central office in Segun Bagicha of the capital city in the around 8:30am.

Her body will then be taken to her village in Netrakona where she will be buried.

Ayesha Khanam was an active organiser of the 1962 students’ movement, the 1969 mass uprising, the Liberation War and all progressive movements. She strived all her life for the rights of deprived women. The country’s women’s movement has lost a stalwart in her death.

This life-long activist and leader was born on 18 October 1947 in the village Gabrabati of Netrakona. Her father was Golam Ali Khan and mother Jamatunnesa Khanam.

Khanam was a student of Dhaka University in 1971. She was the vice president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union’s central committee. She was also the general secretary and then vice president of Rokeya Hall.