Int'l Women's Day today
Profile of an woman warrior
Protibha MutsuddiToday is International Women's Day.
Dedicating decades of her life in selfless service, Protibha Mutsuddi, director of Kumudini Welfare Trust, can be regarded as an icon in the filed of women's enlightenment and empowerment.
A lifelong educationist, she has also taken part in different progressive movements including the Language Movement in 1952.
Protibha was born at Mahamuni Pahartoly village in Raojan upazila of Chittagong district on December 16, 1935.
After getting masters' degree in economics from Dhaka University in 1959 she did her BEd from Mymensingh Women Teachers' Training College in 1960.
The same year, Protibha joined Cox's Bazar Girls High School as its headmistress. In 1963, she joined Bharateswari Homes at Mirzapur of Tangail as lecturer of economics and in 1965, took its charge as principal following request from philanthropist Ranada Prosad Saha (RP Saha), founder of Kumudini Welfare Trust.
Bharateswari Homes was given the award of the country's best school in 1987 and the best college in 1995.
After Pakistani occupation army with the help of their local collaborators killed RP Saha and his son Bhabani Prosad Saha Roby during the Liberation War in 1971, Protibha got responsibility as its director.
"It was a hard time as I had to remain worried about the security of over 1000 women in Kumudini Complex including students of the Homes and the nurses of Kumudini Hospital.
Even after her retirement from the post of principal of Bharateswari Homes in 1998, she has continued serving the institution.
Thousands of students of Protibha Mutsuddi have established themselves as worthy and enlightened citizens and helping others to get enlightened, speeding up the process of women's empowerment and ensuring their equal rights in family and society.
“I am proud of my students of Bharateswari Homes as the institute has been selected for this year's Independence Award,” said Protibha, who has remained single during her whole life.
For her contribution to the field of humanitarian service, especially education, Protibha got different awards including 2002 'Ekushe Padak'.
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