Daughter of the Agunmukha

How does a girl from a tiny Bangladeshi island end up reading Tagore, Marx and de Beauvoir, and becoming a feminist activist? How does she navigate different cultures and religions, and patriarchal society?

Daughter of the Agunmukha is the riveting personal history of Noorjahan Bose, born in 1938 in present-day Bangladesh to a Muslim farming family, near the mouth of the ferocious River Agunmukha—Fire Mouth River. Abused by male relatives and raised by a mother who was herself married at just 7 years old, Noorjahan struggled for her education and autonomy against the painful backdrop of partition, and under the joyful, creative care of her mother. Mentored by local activists, she found her way into the progressive movements that would one day take her around the world.

From her husband’s death when she was only 18 and pregnant, to the devastating cyclones threatening her family’s home and livelihood, Noorjahan’s personal life has not been easy. Yet her courage shines through the pages of her memoir, whether she is agitating for Bangla language rights, enduring Bangladesh’s liberation war, or marrying outside her family’s faith. This moving, gripping book tells a powerful story of trauma, loss, resilience and empowerment.