'Gun pointed at the Uterus'

Even today a woman’s life revolves around a patriarchal society where her voice is lost because her decisions are already taken by someone else.  

The genocide and rape of 1971 which is still fresh in our memories, say a lot about a woman’s struggle. More than two lakh women had to surrender their uterus to the torture of the enemy forces. They resisted but all in vain.

Artist Dilara Begum Jolly's solo exhibition of paintings, pictures, sculptures and performance launches saturday  at 6:00pm to tell the stories of these violated uteruses.

In an interview with the Daily Star she said, “I have named my exhibition Amorar Akkhyan, to portray the struggle of the uterus- the battle our women fought during the 1971 Liberation War.  

Dilara, who was born and raised in Chittagong, said she was 10 years old during the 1971 Liberation War.

"At that time, I did not know much about the atrocities against women by the Pakistani Army and their local collaborators until much later, when a friend told me of Dalim Bhaban.  

The artist chose notorious Al-Badr commander Mir Quasem Ali's Dalim Bhaban, the then torture cell as her subject of exhibition.

“I have tried to bring out the agony of an abused woman, her fear of rejection by the society as she was no longer pure, and the unwanted yet unavoidable pregnancy causing the birth of a war baby, who is an outcast in society for no fault of his own”, she explained.

Dilara said that women acround the world had their uteruses injured forcefully during times of war. Amorar Akkhyan is a tribute to all those women who survived this brutality with their outstanding bravery.

The exhibition, which comprises of sculptures, artwork and performance art will be open for all on 12^th December, 2015 at the Daily Star Centre and continue till the 9^th January 2016 from 10:00am to 10:00pm.