© Shahidul Alam

They had left their village homes to join the class struggle. They were young. Some were, so to speak, "born" to the party. Communist party members were frequent (albeit clandestine) visitors to their homes which acted as party 'shelters.' For some, there were no restrictions but for others, it wasn't easy. Daughters wanting to go into politics, and that too underground politics? Never. Several were severely beaten by their families. The women rebelled.

"One day we [my sister and I] felt we had to see a meeting [of an underground party]. Where were the meetings held? In our primary school, in our village. We went there at night, to the meeting. My sister and I went, ever so quietly, we wore pant and shirt, we had tied gamchas on our heads."