Awami League Women’s

Awami League Women’s Affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman loses battle for life
Life-sketch of Ivy Rahman
Wednesday August 25 2004 00:29:20 AM BDT
Fighting a losing battle for life for three days, Awami League leader Ivy Rahman succumbed to her grenade injuries early on Tuesday at Dhaka Combined Military Hospital, says UNB.Awami League Women’s Affairs Secretary, Ivy was injured critically in Saturday’s grenade attack on the AL rally at Bangabandhu Avenue, which party chief Sheikh Hasina escaped narrowly. She was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and later shifted to the CMH where her two legs were amputated.She had been kept on life support since Monday. The death news cast a deep gloom over her house and her party. Family sources said namaj-e-janaza for Ivy Rahman would be held today (Wednesday) after Asr prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Awami League will also organise gaibana janaza across the country for the late leader. Later in the day, she will be buried at Banani graveyard. Meanwhile, her body has been kept in the CMH mortuary. Political leaders from both sides of the divide, including President Prof. Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, condoled on the death of Ivy Rahman. ==========================Life-sketch of Ivy RahmanJebun Nahar Ivy (Ivy Rahman), daughter of eminent Principal of Dhaka College late Jalaluddin Ahmed and Hasina Begum, was born in famous “Baro Bari” of Bhairab on July 7, 1944. She got married with Awami League leader Zillur Rahman on June 27, 1958.She was the fifth among eight sisters and three brothers. Her elder sister Shamsunnahar Siddique is the mother-in-law of Sheikh Rehana, the younger sister of Sheikh Hasina.Ivy Rahman is survived by two daughters and one son. Her only son Nazmul Ahsan Papon is the General Secretary of Bangladesh Drug Manufacturers Association and two daughters – Tania (elder) and Moyna (younger)–are married.In her student life, she was an active worker of Chhatra League and took part in the political movements under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman against Pakistani military junta. She was a student of Bangla Department of Dhaka University.Ivy Rahman received arms training in India and joined the Liberation war in 1971. She was the founding Organising Secretary of Mohila Awami League established by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1969. She actively took part in the reconstruction of the war-torn Bangladesh. She was nominated a member of Jatiya Mohila League in 1975.After the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, Ivy Rahman played a courageous role against the brutal and barbaric killings. In 1978, she became the Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League Central Working Committee. In 1980, she became the President of Mohila Awami League. Since then, she held the posts of Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League Central Working Committee and President of Mohila Awami League till 2002.After the amendment of the AL manifesto by the party council in 2002, she resigned from the post of Mohila Awami League and was elected Women Affairs Secretary of the party’s central committee. From 1996 to 2001, Ivy Rahman served as chairperson of Bangladesh Mohila Sangstha and Bangladesh Jatiya Mohila Samabaya Samity.Until her death, she was the President of Mohila Samity and General Secretary of Bangladesh Andha Kalyan Samity.