Feb 1, 2012
Her name is Abeda Fahmi. She lives in Uttara, Dhaka in a big apartment building. When I went to meet her, I met a young man in the garage vacuuming his car. I asked if he knew the apartment Mrs. Abeda Fahmi resides in. He told me that she lives on the fourth floor, I should press 3 on the lift. Oh yes, the British system, I almost forgot that first floor is really ground floor here.
Mrs. Fahmi opened the door herself and welcomed me into her apartment. I sat down and talked to her about the 1947 Partition Archive. She began to unfold her story. The Fahmis are descendants of the last Moghul Nawab Wazid Ali Shah of Awadh. When the British took over the Mughal empire in 1856, he left Lucknow and settled in Matiyaburuj, Kolkata. The Fahmis are originally from Matiyaburj but are scattered all over the world today. While she was talking about her family, the young man from the garage appeared and introduced himself. He was Mrs. Fahmi's only son and a pilot for the Bangladesh Biman.
Abeda Fahmi was born in KishoreGanj, E. Bengal, British India in 1936. Her father was a goverment service holder and was posted all over India during his service life. Eventhough she was born in E. Bengal, her early days were spent in Kolkata. She remembers the riots of 1946 as a little girl. Her house was in Park Circus, which was a Muslim majority area. Baligunje was a little further away, which was a Hindu majority area. She saw many processions between these two neighborhoods.
In 1947 her father was given a choice of migrating to Pakistan or staying back in India as a government employee. He opted for Pakistan. The family moved to E. Pakistan on 14th Aug 1947. They took the train from Kolkata and arrived in Goalondo. Then took a steamer to Mymensingh.
Abeda Fahmi did most of her schooling in E. Pakistan. When she was studying in the Dhaka University, her father was posted in Karachi. She graduated with her MA in Islamic History from the Karachi University in 1962. The Fahmis are Urdu speaking but has adopted the language of the land, Bangla. She studied in Bangla medium. Her career spread over 4 deacdes. She retired as the headmistess of the New Government Girls High School of Armanitola, Dhaka. Eventhough she has settled in Dhaka, her family is spread all over the world. Her sister lives in Karachi, brother in USA and many relatives back in India. Today she lives with her son, Golam Abid in Dhaka.
Her name is Abeda Fahmi. She lives in Uttara, Dhaka in a big apartment building. When I went to meet her, I met a young man in the garage vacuuming his car. I asked if he knew the apartment Mrs. Abeda Fahmi resides in. He told me that she lives on the fourth floor, I should press 3 on the lift. Oh yes, the British system, I almost forgot that first floor is really ground floor here.
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| The last Moghul Nawab, Wazid Ali Shah of Lucknow, 1847-1856 |
Mrs. Fahmi opened the door herself and welcomed me into her apartment. I sat down and talked to her about the 1947 Partition Archive. She began to unfold her story. The Fahmis are descendants of the last Moghul Nawab Wazid Ali Shah of Awadh. When the British took over the Mughal empire in 1856, he left Lucknow and settled in Matiyaburuj, Kolkata. The Fahmis are originally from Matiyaburj but are scattered all over the world today. While she was talking about her family, the young man from the garage appeared and introduced himself. He was Mrs. Fahmi's only son and a pilot for the Bangladesh Biman.
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| Abeda Fahmi graduated with an MA from the Karachi University |
Abeda Fahmi was born in KishoreGanj, E. Bengal, British India in 1936. Her father was a goverment service holder and was posted all over India during his service life. Eventhough she was born in E. Bengal, her early days were spent in Kolkata. She remembers the riots of 1946 as a little girl. Her house was in Park Circus, which was a Muslim majority area. Baligunje was a little further away, which was a Hindu majority area. She saw many processions between these two neighborhoods.
In 1947 her father was given a choice of migrating to Pakistan or staying back in India as a government employee. He opted for Pakistan. The family moved to E. Pakistan on 14th Aug 1947. They took the train from Kolkata and arrived in Goalondo. Then took a steamer to Mymensingh.
Abeda Fahmi did most of her schooling in E. Pakistan. When she was studying in the Dhaka University, her father was posted in Karachi. She graduated with her MA in Islamic History from the Karachi University in 1962. The Fahmis are Urdu speaking but has adopted the language of the land, Bangla. She studied in Bangla medium. Her career spread over 4 deacdes. She retired as the headmistess of the New Government Girls High School of Armanitola, Dhaka. Eventhough she has settled in Dhaka, her family is spread all over the world. Her sister lives in Karachi, brother in USA and many relatives back in India. Today she lives with her son, Golam Abid in Dhaka.
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| Abeda Fahmi talks about her family |
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