Ordeal in 1971, onwards...

She made a supreme sacrifice only to save her family during the Liberation War in 1971.

Led into her village by anti-liberation Razakars, the Pakistani occupation army gave the condition that her family would not be harmed if she let herself be raped.

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Her helpless father used to accompany her to the army camp in Thakurgaon every morning.

Tapri Bawa's ordeal went on for several months and she got pregnant. The 16-year-old then gave birth to war child Sudhir Chandra.

After the nine-month war, the Pakistani army gave in and Bangladesh emerged as an independent county, but her sufferings would not stop but rather aggravate.

In the independent country, she faced social stigma. But braving all obstacles, she raised her son.

Sudhir, now father of two daughters, also suffered a lot. Neighbours looked down upon him.

The woman is yet to get any national recognition for her sacrifice.

At least 1.62 lakh women were raped, and another 1.31 lakh Hindu women went missing during the Liberation War, according to the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee led by Dr M Hassan. The Hindu women were believed to have been raped and killed in the Pakistan army camps.

After independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman honoured these women with the "Birangana" title, but society turned its back on them.

Thousands of rape survivors were socially ostracised and left uncared for. After the political changeover following Bangabandhu's assassination in 1975, they went into oblivion.

On October 12 last year, the government for the first time recognised 41 Biranganas (heroines) as freedom fighters. Twenty-six others will be recognised this year.

Yesterday, Bak Shilpangan, a recitation organisation, awarded both the mother and son at the capital's Rabindra Sarobar. A booklet titled Shekol Bhangar Poddya '16, which contains their ordeals, was distributed at the ceremony.

Clad in a white saree she stepped into the stage and received a memorial token from cultural personality Kamal Lohani. 

Among others, Managing Director of IFIC Bank Shah Alam Sarwar, General Secretary of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote Hasan Arif, and Convener of the programme Ajharul Haque Azad were present.

Later a cultural programme was held.