Pari Sundari-Name of a struggle against Nil Cultivation

Pari Sundari (1800? - 1870?) : Pari Sundari was a female

zamidar. She ruled at Sadarpur in Mirpur in Kushtia region. She was one of the dedicated souls to wage a fight against oppression and aggression of British Raj in the issue of Nil Chas (Indigo plantation).

She was born of Ramananda Singha and Tara Sundari. Her father Ramananda Singha served as a Nayeb in Kumarkhali Silk Kuthi. Ramananda took over two parganas (a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent) ---Begambad of Kushtia and Islamabad in Pabna from Murshidabad Estate. He probably also had waterbody of Birahimpur Pargana. After Ramananda, Pari Sundari and her sister Braja Sundari succeeded the Estate. They hailed from Sadarpur in Mirpur under the district of Present Kushtia. The people in this region were subjected to oppression and tyranny by Thomas Ivan Kenny, one of the infamous indigo planters in British Raj. At first the Nil planters urged the general poor farmers to go for Nil cultivation. The farmers were not interested to cultivate Nil as it was not a very profitable business in the 19th century in India. But the planters started torturing and oppressing the poor farmers to force them to cultivate Nil . Pari was shocked to see the miserable subjection of her people. She gathered people to protest this harmful cultivation which was about to destroy our traditional farming.

Those tales of oppression and successive revolts of the peasants find their expression in the famous writings of Mir Mosarrof Hossain in his books Udashin Pathiker Moner Katha and in the book Moner Katha Onek Katha by Raicharan Das.

Pari's fight against Kenny started when Kenny's people destroyed the paddy fields of farmers to cultivate Nil in Bharal-Poradaha region. In retaliation Pari organised her people and attacked Kenny's Shalghor Modhua Kuthi several times. A police officer was killed by Pari's people. Then British Raj took hand on Pari. The government seized her estate. Pari filed a case to Dewane against the seizure. Later she got back her Zamindari.

Justice Radhabinod: Hero of the heroes

Justice Radhabinod Pal was born in 1886 at a small village called 'Salimpur' under 'Taragunia' union of 'Daulatpur' Upazilla of Kushtia District in Bangladesh.

He studied mathematics and constitutional law at Presidency College, Kolkata, and the Law College of the University of Calcutta. He worked as professor at the Law College of the University of Calcutta from 1923 till 1936. He became a judge of Calcutta High Court in 1941 and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta in 1944. The Indian government installed him as a legal adviser in 1927 and dispatched him to the Tokyo Trials in 1946. He delivered one of the three dissenting opinions of the Tribunal. He found all the defendants not guilty of Class A war crimes, even though he condemned the Japanese war-time conduct as "devilish and fiendish". He was highly critical of conspiracy and he was unable to apply such a new crime as waging aggressive wars and committing crimes against peace and humanity-Class A war crimes created by the Allies after the war-ex post facto. His reasoning influenced the dissenting opinions of the judges for the Netherlands and France.

Following the war-crimes trials, he was elected to the United Nations' International Law Commission, where he served from 1952 to 1966.

He is the father of renowned barrister, late Pranab Kumar Pal and the father-in-law of renowned lawyer Dr Debi Prasad Pal.

Darakanath Adhikary :A Short lived poet in Bengali literature

Darakanath Adhikary (1830 - 1857) - Darakanath was a short lived poet on children. He did not write prolifically but his contribution, though for short tenure, can be remembered with respect and honour.

Darakanath was born in now Goswami Durgapur village in Sadar Upazilla in Kushtia District. He was the son of Ramsankar. Darakanath started to write when he was in college in 1850. At that time he was a higher secondary in calcutta.

He came to the forefront in a literary competition. According to the event the famous journalist, Iswargupta arranged a literary competition in his newspaper Sangbad Pravakar. Many took part in the competition. Among them the powerful novelist of Bengali literature, Bankimchandra Chatterjee and Dinobandhu Mitra also took part in the competition. Darkanath with a piece of poem attended the competition. Miraculously he outdid all competitors and obtained the first position.

This event brought fame for Darakanath in the field of Bangla literature.

He composed a number of poems in 1850s out of his deep love for his mother tongue and motherland. Although his piece of writing is now obsolete, this a tremedous effect on the readers of literature.

In his short life he could write the only collection of poems titled Sudhiranjan which found its publication in Maharajah's Publication in 1894 from Calcutta.

Even at the end of the twentieth century one could trace the remains of his homesteads at Goswamidurgapur.

Dadabhai-a man who wove dreams for children

Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai (1925-1999) was a noted litterateur, journalist and founder of the children's organisation Kachi Kanchar Mela. He was born in Pangsha, Rajbari on April 9, 1925.

But he hailed from Bheramara in Kushtia. His father's name was Mukhairuddin.

His grandfather Mohammad Rawshan Ali Chowdhury was the editor of the monthly magazine Kohinoor. Dadabhai's initiation in journalism happened through the Daily Ittehad (published from Kolkata) in 1948. He was the editor of the children's section. Dadabhai jointed the Daily Ittefaq in 1955 as the editor of the Mufassil section. Simultaneously he took charge of the children's section. Eventually he became the editor of literature and feature desk of the newspaper.Dadabhai formed the children's organisation Kochi Kanchar Mela in 1956. He was the chief of the organisation till death. In his illustrious career, Dadabhai performed several important roles in different organisations. He received the Bangla Academy Award in 1968 and the Shishu Academy Award in 1994.Among his notable works for children are - Ajob Holeo Gujob Noy, Hattima Tim and Khokon Khokon Daak Pari.

Rokonuzzaman Khan Dadabhai passed away on December 3, 1999. In 2000, he received the Swadhinata Dibosh Award (posthumous).

Dada was renowned among the people as a man of simple and gentle demeanour. People loved him very much for his polite manner. Most important of all is that he was a man who was dedicated to peace. All through his life and his activities he tried to uphold the mission of peace in the society.

Moksed Ali Sai : A key successor of Lalon

Moksed Ali Sai, one of the dedicated deputies of Lalon, the king of Baul songs, devoted his life in spiritual activities after Lalon.

Moksed played a key role in popularizing Lalon song through instruments both home and abroad after the independence of Bangladesh.

Born in 1933 at Harisankarpur area in the town, Moksed grew up among the bauls who thronged Lalon's shrine. His father's name is Abdur Rashid Khan and mother's name is Nigar Nesa. His family title was Khan' but later he cut 'Khan and renamed himself 'Shah' for his deep devotion for Lalon's philosophy.

From his early age he fell in deep love with the divine and spiritual tunes of Lalon. He practised classical Nazrul songs in his early stage of artist faith. He also worked as a jatra artist for a period.

First he joined land office in Kushtia as an employee in 1962. He also worked as a commander of village police before 1971. He had his lessons of classical music from Ostad Osman Gani. Inspired by Lolon's philosophy, he showed strong interest for singing lalon's songs

A.N.M. Bazlur Rashid : An enlightened literary worker

Abu Nayeem Mohammad Bazlur Rashid was a writer, dramatist, poet and thinker. He was one of the stronghold writers in Bengali Literature in the early twentieth century.

He was born in his maternal homeland in Faridpur town in May 8, 1911. His ancestral home is village Meton in Mirpur Upazilla in Kushtia.

Bazlur Rashid worked in different sectors of Bengali literature. He opened different new genres in Bengali literature.

He contributed largely to the development of some branches of this literature. His life long working in Bengali drama brought him name and fame. In this arena he contributed a good number of plays. He was awarded Bangla Academy Award in Drama in 1967. He was also awarded 'Thagma-E-Imtiaz' for his outstanding performance in literary writing. He was known to have written as many as 35 books. Among the books 'Panthobina', 'Uttar Falgoni', 'Jharer Pakhi', 'Jibonbadi Rabindranath', 'Ogo Bideshini' and 'Pakisthaner Sufi-Sadhak are mentionable.

Bagha Jatin (1879-1915)

Jatindranath Mukharjee popularly known as Bagha Jatin was born on 8th December at Koya village in Kumarkhali Upazilla in Kushtia in his maternal uncle's house. His father, Umesh Chandra hailed from Raskhali village of Jhenaida. He passed his boyhood at Koya in Kumarkhali. He had been courageous since his boyhood. Once he killed a tiger with a knife. Since then he came to be called 'Bagha Jatin'. He was assigned with the task of leading 'Jugantor Samity.' When the First World War broke out, he planned a guerrilla fight to liberate the country. He tried to import ammunition from German, Japan, the USA and the Dutch East Indies. His decision was to obstruct the British soldiers from going to Calcutta. But acting on a tip-off police surrounded Bagha Jatin and his four associates. But the valiant fighters dug trench and fought face to face with the soldiers. This battle by digging trench was first of its kind from any Bangali. He along with his three friends was mortally wounded and one was killed in this fight. Severely injured, this rebellious leader, Bagha Jatin died at Baleswar Hospital on 10th September, 1915.