People from all walks of life paid their last respect to Panna Kaiser, a former MP, widow of martyred intellectual Shahidullah Kaiser and mother of actress Shomi Kaiser, on her coffin at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Sunday (August 6, 2023).
The body of Panna Kaiser was kept on the premises of Central Shaheed Minar from 11:00am to 1:00pm where people from different political, social, cultural organisations and other people paid their last respect to the former lawmaker. Sammilito Sangskritik Jote coordinated the event.
From there, the body was taken to Bangla Academy. After namaj-e-janaza at Dhaka University central mosque, Panna Kaiser was buried at Mirpur Graveyard.
Panna Kaiser died at a hospital in the city on August 4, 2023. She was 73. The eminent writer, researcher and intellectual breathed her last while undergoing treatment at the United Hospital in the city.
She left behind a daughter, a son and a host of relatives and admirers.
The first Namaz-e-Janaza of Panna Kaiser was held after Jummah at Gulshan’s Azad Mosque on August 4. Later, her body was kept at BIRDEM hospital.
Respectfully revered as the “Shaheedjaya” (widow of a martyr), Panna Kaiser, originally known as Saifunnahar Chowdhury, was born on May 25 in 1950 at Payalgacha village under Barura upazila in Cumilla district.
After completing post-graduation in Bengali Literature from the University of Dhaka, she went into the teaching profession at Badrunnesa Women College. She married Shahidullah Kaiser in 1969.
She was a presidium member of the children’s organisation ‘Khelaghar’ since 1973. In 1990, she assumed responsibility as the head of this organisation.
Just before two days of victory day in 1971, Shahidullah Kaiser was picked up from his house by Al-Badr forces and never came back.
Panna Kaiser was a member of parliament of the women reserved seat of the ruling Awami League during 1996 to 2000.
She received Bangla Academy Literary Award in 2021 for her significant contribution in the research of the Liberation War.
