Let me tell it once again

Belal Muhammad (1936-2013)

Here we publish Belal Muhammad's article on Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. He was the key figure behind setting up the radio centre that was the first-ever organised war effort in the Liberation struggle.

'Listen to me telling the old story once again'. Such a re-telling is not quite a wager to vie against the 'resounding clamor of the devils' advocates', but to keep the lamp alight in the midst of the thickening mist of adverse darkness, to safeguard the smile of the sun shrouded behind the clouds. Above all I have the obligation to mark off the peers of Goebbels for the sake of the young generation.

What I am telling now is literally an eye-witness account – one that I have kept telling and retelling since 1972. It concerns only that part of the great liberation war with which I myself was actively involved. I am neither a historian nor an all-knowing man. My memoire is – on that account – not the full history of the Bangladesh liberation war. I can rather say, my way into these activities opened as the times demanded and found its completion in due course when the need was fulfilled.

My topic is the Swadhin Bangla (Biplabi) Betar Kendra [Free Bengal (Revolutionary) Radio Station], whose auspicious commencement was on March 26, 1971 at 7:40pm in Kalurghat (Chittagong) Broadcasting Center with the aid of 10 KW medium wave transmitter. Indeed in the wee hours of the great liberation war, this radio broadcast was the first-ever organized war effort. The principal organization of the war – the Mukti Bahini [Liberation Army] – was not formed yet, rather it was from the Free Bengal (Revolutionary) Radio Station that formation of the Liberation Army was first urged. The broadcasting operations were initiated, of course, by none other than us - the professional radio officials with a strong sense of national identity. In addition, the politicians and the military officers came forth with necessary support and protection respectively for the broadcasting center. The radio officials were - government employees as they were - non-political individuals. At that time, I was employed as a dedicated scriptwriter-artiste in the Radio Pakistan Chittagong Station. Among my direct coworkers – Abul Kasem, Vice Principal of Fatikchhari College and Abdullah-Al-Faruque, Program Producer of Radio Pakistan Chittagong Center both of whom joined the inaugural session; Kazi Habibuddin Moni, young businessman and Aminur Rahman, technical assistant of Chittagong Station who joined the evening session on March 27; Rashidul Hussain, Technical Assistant and Sharfuzzaman, Technical Operator who joined the March 28 second session; and Syed Abdus Shaker, Radio Engineer who joined Kalurghat,;Mustapha Anwar, Program Producer, and Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Technical Operator who joined the second session at noon on March 29 – none of us were activists of any political party. Those who gave me part time assistance on March 26 and 27 – Momtazuddin Ahmed, Professor of Chittagong Government College, Mahbub Hossain, the Regular Drama Producer of Radio and Mahmud Hossain, my new expatriate friend and at that time boarder of Agrabad Hotel – were not involved in partisan politics either. Even Dr. Muhammad Shafi and Begum Mushtari Shafi – the residents of Mushtari Lodge which was the birth place of the Free Bengal Radio Station were also not political party activists. However, at that point of time, all of us joined in a consensus under the auspices of a single national leadership. That leadership was of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The non-cooperation movement launched by the great leader Bangabandhu rallied together every single person of Bangladesh, everyone's eyes brimming with the vision of fall of Two Nations Theory of Jinnah and foundation of a secular, independent, sovereign homeland, every voice merging in the chorus: 'Joy Bangla' [Victory to Bengal].

At the dawn of March 26, announcements were made in mikes across the main streets of the Chittagong city: 'Fellow brothers, our great leader, the apple of the eye of Bengal Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has declared the independence of Bangladesh. Victory to Bengal!'

At noon, a small leaflet came to my hand, carrying a piece of text in the flowing handwriting of Dr. Anwar Ali and printed in Gestetner Machine: the official declaration of independence of Bangladesh in the words of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. At that time, word spread in Chittagong which went like this: at midnight all of a sudden the Pakistani troops assailed the Rajarbagh Police Line and various other important areas of the metropolis. Many people were killed and wounded. At that point Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had declared the independence. The Awami League leaders of Chittagong received Bangabandhu's declaration by wireless transmission, and the leaflet was the Bengali translation of that message.

On March 26 it was this message which was broadcast from the Free Bengal Radio Station read out in our different voices again and again. Due to the wartime confidentiality requirements the names of the announcers were not mentioned. In that session local Awami League leader MA Hannan read out in his own voice a written announcement in light of Bangabandhu's declaration. The senior poet Abdus Salam also delivered a speech. The names of these two individuals were also not announced. It goes without saying that at such a moment putting together a cue sheet for programs was out of question.

It may be mentioned that naming the station as Free Bengal Radio Station was my doing. At the suggestion of Abul Kashem Sandwip, I added the epithet 'revolutionary' to the name. Later at the order of Major Zia on March 28 the word 'revolutionary' had to be dropped. I myself went to Patiya on March 27 and brought Zia along with his 150 soldiers. They were deployed for round-the-clock guarding of the Kalurghat broadcasting center. I actually asked EPR Captain Rafiqul Islam – who was then staying in the Railway building hills – for security of the radio station at the noon of March 26. He gave me promises but subsequently took no steps for such an arrangement. MA Hannan of Awami League did not pay much attention to this matter either. After March 26 he did not for once set foot in Kalurghat till March 30 when it was aerially bombed – nor did any other political leader for that matter show up in Kalurghat. Only two young men Mr Sekandar Hayat Khan and Harunur Rashid Khan – both from Mohara – kept at our side all through during hauling the 1 KW transmitter to the truck on March 31, moving to Patiya up till when on April 3, we - 10 radio activists - moved to the Ramgarh border.

In any case, in the midnight following the day of March 26, Taher Sobhan of Chandanpura informed me over telephone about some Major (name not known yet) staying in Patiya. When I reached Patiya Thana on a transport rented by Mahmud Hossain, I came to know that the name of the Major was Ziaur Rahman. When I made my request to him, he immediately had his accompanying troops set out on three lorries to Kalurghat, and in no time himself along with some Captains set out for Kalurghat. Our car followed Major Zia's jeep. On the way wherever crowds of people were seen on their way heading back to villages leaving their work in the city, Major Zia would halt his jeep and encourage everyone to go back to their jobs and would say: in a matter of few days the Panjabis would be finished. He also said: the Urdu-speakers are enemies of Bengalis, wherever you find them, finish them off, all right? He gave such speeches at least in 10 spots on the way.

In the evening session of March 27, the text of the declaration of independence of Bangabandhu which we got in leaflets was broadcast in the voices of different radio personnel. A new voice was Kazi Habibuddin Ahmed Moni. I told Major Zia: You are the only 'Major' here, all the rest of us are 'minors'. Would you broadcast something in your own voice?

Major Zia replied in a serious tone: well but could you suggest what I should say! With an instant decision based on his discussion with me, the following text of the declaration (although recalling from memory may make slightest changes in wording) was prepared:

"I, Major Zia on behalf of our great national leader Bangabundhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman do hereby declare independence of Bangladesh. Punjabis are using …. so and so… arms and ammunitions. We will take not more than two or three days to crush them… victory is ours. Khuda Hafez, joi Bangla."

It was announced twice beforehand that in a few minutes Major Zia would deliver an important speech. Then Major Zia broadcast his speech in his own voice and immediately afterwards my instant Bengali translation was read out by Abdullah-Al-Faruque. Right before leaving office and entering the studio, I had the translation reviewed by Professor Momtazuddin Ahmed.

In the brief news bulletin on March 27, Abul Kashem Sandwip mentioned the important speech by Major Zia on behalf of the great leader Bangabandhu. Indeed, at that moment the speech by Major Zia in his own voice on behalf of Bangabandhu was much more timely and effective than the declaration of independence in Bangabandhu's words read out by anonymous announcers. The people – cornered and surrounded by the occupying army - was reassured listening to the voice of a Bengali Major that Bangabandhu, viz. the Bengalis have got their own military force. Three decades after the incident, I still congratulate myself as the civilian who arranged for the radio declaration of Major Zia. On May 28 and 29, Major Zia broadcast two speeches in English urging the people to join the liberation war and affirming his full allegiance to the leadership of Bangabandhu. The latter speech was recorded in a cassette recorder by Osman Ghani, an inhabitant of Chandgaon. In 1972, he supplied a copy of the cassette via our revolutionary colleague Aminur Rahman, and it is now preserved in the Transmission Service of Bangladesh Betar.

In the second session of March 28, Captain Bhuiyan gave me a draft announcement for broadcasting calling the people of Chittagong to gather with arms in the Laldighi ground. At the end of the draft he added the names of himself and a few other captains as the authors of the announcement. I objected that if this announcement is broadcast, the enemy forces will bomb the Laldighi ground. He shouted back at me: we will take care of it! I said: fine, we will not read it in our voice. One of you can do that. Captain Bhuiyan then read out the announcement along with their names. Immediately afterwards he understood his mistake and made a second announcement styling it as 'an amended announcement' where he urged people to arm themselves at home rather than gathering in Laldighi; and once again he announced the names of himself and his fellow captains. In fact their actual goal was to broadcast their names the way Major Zia's name was aired, and they would do it by hook or by crook.

In the morning session of March 29, Habibr Rahman Zalal, the radio announcer as well as Professor Tamzida Begum came to Kalurghat and read out the announcement prepared by me. In addition, Lt Shamsher Mobin read out a rebroadcast of a speech by Major Zia on behalf of Bangabandhu with the added line: 'Here is a message from Major Zia'.

From March 29 onwards, at the suggestion of my revolutionary coworker Sharifuzzaman the A and B-sides of the gramophone record 'Joy Bangla Bangla-r Joy' was adopted for the introductory and ending tracks of all sessions and in the finishing announcement the following text drafted by me was added: 'Allah, Rabbul Alamin [Allah, Lord of the Worlds] helps a people only when the people helps itself. Joy Bangla'. This pattern was kept up to the very last day of the Free Bengal Radio Station. Only at some time in November 1971 was the national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla' [My Golden Bengal] adopted as the ending track.

The first or establishment phase of the Free Bengal Radio Station was from March 26 to the noon of March 30. At the noon of March 30, the Pakistani bomber planes made an attack. That was the first aerial attack in Bangladesh by the enemies. The enemies picked the right target: their prime opponent force indeed was none other than the Free Bengal Radio Station – the broadcast media of the liberation war and the first organized effort at that time. Their prime target of aerial bombardment was therefore none other than Kalurghat.

In the second phase of the Free Bengal Radio Station, the first session was aired on April 3, 1971 at 9:00PM at the BSF 92 Headquarters in Bagafa, the Tripura State of India with the aid of a 200W short wave transmitter. I would read out the information I had noted over the preceding three days while Abul Kashem Sandwip would transcribe it and simultaneously Abdullah-Al-Faruque would translate it into English – in this way the one hour bilingual news bulletin was prepared. Abul Kashem Sandwip was the Bengali newscaster and the younger son of honorable AK Khan of Chittagong was the newscaster in English.  In that session recorded revolutionary songs were played from Ramgarh Sub room. In the jeep journey from the border to Bagafa we were accompanied by two young people's representatives Ataur Rahman Kaiser and Mirza Nasiruddin. HT Imam, DC of Rangamati set up our contact with the Indian authorities. Amar Singh was the operator of the 200W small wave transmitter. At Bagafa, Colonel Ghosh gave me an article on world opinion on the liberation war of Bangladesh, which we broadcast with necessary changes in wording and after due editing.

On April 8, we were transported by car through the hilly roads from Bagafa to Agartala. Here in the Shal Bagan BSF 91 Head Quarters, arrangements were made for transmission of program broadcasts with a 400 W short wave transmitter.  It was at that point when the 1KW medium wave transmitter that we had left in Patiya was carried to Bagafa by our revolutionary colleagues Rashidul Hussain and Aminur Rahman. Syed Abdus Shakur, the sole radio engineer in our team, set up the transmitter at Bagafa Belonia Forest Hill Road simply by looking at the circuit diagram without any guide book. Up till May 24 the programs of the second phase of Free Bengal Radio Station were broadcast from Tripura, both from the medium wave transmitter we ourselves had brought as well as with the two short wave transmitters we received from the Indian authorities. During that phase, on April 17 Subrata Barua of Bangla Academy joined us as a revolutionary coworker. During that phase those who participated by giving talks included Professor Mohammad Khaled, Dr. Habibur Rahman, Aminul Huq Badsha, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, among others. The last-mentioned one broadcast English talks. The April 11 speech to the people by Prime Minister-designate Tajuddin Ahmad and the recorded speech of Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam at Mujibnagar after the formal oath-taking ceremony on April 17 were broadcast from the Free Bengal Radio Station, which were repeatedly rebroadcast from Akashbani Kolkata with the announcement 'quickly broadcast here from the Free Bengal Radio Station'.

At the end of April, with the aid of Colonel Bannerjee and Deshmukhe, our liaison officials, I got the opportunity to meet Dr. Triguna Sen and the Union State Minister for Information Nandini Jatpathi at the residence of Chief Minister of Tripura Shachindra Nath Singh. I told the State Minister that we needed a strong medium wave transmitter. He said, in no time a 50KW medium wave transmitter would be allocated to Mujibnagar under the behest of our Provisional Government. All of our activists would be brought to Mujibnagar. I would review all the drafts by my revolutionary coworkers before broadcast, while I would give my own drafted talks to my coworker Mustafa Anwar for review. Besides, to keep updated about the broadcast policy of the provisional government I would now and then – on my own initiative – ask the support of people's representatives MR Siddiqui, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, and others.

In Mid-May the program organizer of Dhaka Radio Station Ashfaqur Rahman Khan, the program producer TH Shikder, Taher Sultan, program presenter Shahidul Islam and others came to Agartala. They expressed willingness to join us in our work. When I informed Col. Bannerjee, he said: let them rather go to Mujibnagar. They can just take preparation as the advance team there. Meanwhile you can wrap it up here. Let not broadcast be suspended even for one single day for the shifting of personnel, that is, the ending session here should be seamlessly followed by the beginning session there.

I informed Ashfaqur Rahman accordingly in the presence of HT Imam, then staying in Agartala, in his bungalow. Accordingly they set out in journey, reached Kolkata, and as per the instructions of the people's representative Abdul Mannan made all preparations for beginning the broadcasting of the third phase on May 25. Abdul Mannan was the MNA in charge of the Information and Radio Department of the provisional government. We used to think that if the revolutionary government appointed a sixth minister, it would be Abdul Mannan. It may be mentioned here that although Mujibnagar was the new name of the Meherpur Mango Grove, that name – Mujibnagar – was a mesmerizing one in the days of the war. The house in Ballygunge Circular Road where the recording equipment, news room, rehearsal room and administrative office of radio was set up was also called Mujibnagar. The office building of Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad in Theater Road was Mujibnagar; the office of the 'Joy Bangla' newspaper in Balu Hakka Lane was also called Mujibnagar. The training centers of the freedom fighters of Bangladesh and the office of the Commander in Chief Ataul Ghani Osmany were also named Mujibnagar. The third, viz. the Mujibnagar phase is a glorious chapter of the Free Bengal Radio Station. In this phase, radio personalities, journalists, speakers, dramatists and singers widely joined the efforts.  Among the existing employees of radio, Shamsul Huda Chaudhury, the program organizer of Rajshahi Radio, was the senior-most among the revolutionary coworkers of the program department. He was appointed as 'Senior Program Organizer' to take charge of administrative duties. His regular responsibilities included signing the contracts with regular contributors/participants, communication with the Secretary of Information regarding fund allocation, and distribution of assignments among the coworkers of the program department. According to the distribution made by Shamsul Huda Chaudhury, the program organizer Ashfaqur Rahman was in charge of presentation as well as the music department, program organizer Mesbah Uddin Ahmed was in charge of the drama department and as the program organizer newly appointed in regular employment, my charge was in talk and literature department. Besides, with the help of program producer Taher Sultan, I also prepared a fixed point chart for programs.

The most vital matter during the Mujibnagar phase were the daily news bulletins. Kamal Lohani was in overall charge of this department. The news bulletin would be broadcast in three languages: Bengali, English, and Urdu. Among the assistants of Kamal Lohani were news correspondent of Rajshahi Radio Station Mansur Mamun, Nazrul Islam Sarkar, and others. Aside from the news bulletins, English programs anchored by Alamgir Kabir and joined by Ali Zaker as well as Urdu programs anchored by Zahid Siddiqui and joined by Shahidur Rahman would be regularly aired.

Syed Hasan Imam and Ranen Kushari were drama producers and Samar Das was appointed as the music director.

The two most successful programs of Free Bengal Radio Station broadcast with the 50 KW medium wave transmitter were 'Jallad-er Darbar' – a satirical play, and 'Charampatra' – a satirical talk. MR Akhtar Mukul was the writer and presenter of Charampatra. Abdul Mannan first came up with the idea of such a program and the name was suggested by Ashfaqur Rahman Khan. Kalyan Mitra would write the dialogues of 'Jallad-er Darbar'. Raju Ahmed would act in the role of the protagonist Kella Fateh Khan and Narayan Gosh Mita would act as the joker. Among the regular participants was Prasenjit Barua.

I cannot resist mentioning an exceptional chorus song that was broadcast in the midst of all the distinguished singers of Bangladesh. One day Patua Kamrul Hasan recorded the song 'Manush Ho Manush Ho Abar Tora Manush Ho' (be human be human be human once again) by Bratachari Gurusaday Dutt with Hasan himself the lead vocalist and some of us as backing vocalists. The song was even broadcast in two or three sessions. Later it was dropped against protests that it was sung by non-singers without a clue of tunes. The co-artistes of Kamrul Hasan were Kamal Lohani, Belal Muhammad, Aminul Huq Badsha, and Sheikh Kamal.

Among the widely-acclaimed and lasting songs of the Free Bengal Radio Station are the chorus led by Samar Das 'Purbo Digonte Surjo Uthechhe, Rokto Laal' (The sun has risen in the eastern horizon – red as blood), the solo song 'Ekti Fulke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori' (Waging war to save a flower) composed by Apel Mahmud and the duet song 'Ek shagor Rokter Binimoye' (At the price of an ocean of blood) sung by Apel Mahmud and Swapna Roy. The lyrics of all three songs were written by Govinda Haldar from Bangaon. Two songs produced in Kolkata – 'Share Shat Koti Manush-er Ar Ekti Naam, Mujibar' (The other name of the seventy five million people is Mujibar) sung by Mohammad Abdul Jabbar and 'Shono Ekti Mujibor-er Theke Lokkho Mujibor-er Konthoshworer Dhoni Protidhoni' (Hark! The voice of one Mujibor is finding echo in the hundred thousand Mujobors) sung by Angshuman Roy have everlasting appeal to the Bengali audience. The lyric of the last song was by Gouri Prasanna Majumdar.

On December 6, the Government of India formally recognized the independence of Bangladesh and the provisional government. On December 16 the defeated Pakistan Army surrendered to the joint command of our Muktibahini and the Allied Indian Army. Immediately all radio stations of Bangladesh including Dhaka fell silent. It was decided that on December 22 the cabinet would return to Dhaka and the heroic sons of the country would be welcomed by airing radio commentary. From then on there was a rush among all the expatriates to get back to the independent homeland liberated from the enemy forces. The radio engineer Syed Abdus Shakur was sent to Dhaka as per plans to personally survey the conditions of the broadcasting system in the Dhaka Center. Later the Free Bengal Radio Station was converted in the wake of Victory into Bangladesh Betar.

It bears mentioning that in the third phase although the radio workers were given regular employments within a hierarchy consisting of higher and lower positions, all of us upheld a strong sense of teamwork. At some ill-starred moment, the colleagues who came from Dhaka drew up an organizational structure showing Ashfaqur Rahman as the head. In response, without my knowledge the revolutionary coworker Sharifuzzaman drew up another draft structure showing me as the head. Our colleague Aminur Rahman showed up and shouted: 'What structure? From Kalurghat onwards we have sustained teamwork, and the same teamwork will go on'. He tore away both drafts.

For entry in the Ballygunge house it was decided to issue 'security passes' for regular workers. As the senior official of the program department Shamsul Huda Chaudhury was going to sign the printed pass, the personnel of the engineering department voiced objection. Indeed, in principle, in any Key Point Installation it is the officers of the engineering department who sign the security pass. Aminur Rahman lodged his complaint to me: 'You were an officer, yet after 8/9 years of service in radio you did not know this? Why would Mr. Chaudhury sign the Security Pass? Mr. Shaker should do it'.

So it was done. On another occasion, the Information Secretary Anwarul Haq asked Syed Abdus Shaker to send a note for some technical equipment via Shamsul Huda Chaudhury. He (Shaker) protested this being himself senior in hierarchy. Later he told me privately: 'Probably you have seen such discrimination in official hierarchy. All the same, if you want to try to exert authority over me as the program organizer, it cannot be allowed. But in general as our Belal Bhai we will of course accept your leadership'.

Seeing and hearing of the lavish lives led by some political activists of Bangladesh in Kolkata, a stir rose among us as well for pay raise. All the regular workers appointed in the Free Bengal Radio Station had a monthly salary of Taka 300. Only three of them - Syed Abdus Shaker, Shamsul Huda Chaudhury, and Belal Muhammad – had salary of Taka 400. A precedent was there: against the demand of MR Akhtar Mukul and as a result of his 5 day withholding from broadcasting Charampatra, his honorarium (not salary) was raised from Taka 200 to Taka 225. The colleagues from Dhaka announced a strike of three days to press their demand pay raise. During those three days Sadekin and I wrote sundry contents to fill in the gap of regular program contents. The strike and demands for pay raise were resolved on their own. The event did not go beyond the building of Ballygunge Circular Road.

Kamal Lohani, Ashfaqur Rahman Khan and a few others went to Dhaka to give voice to the commentary in the programs of Dhaka Station on December 22. All the coworkers were seeking to go from Kolkata to Dhaka as soon as possible on any sort of transport available. As it was decided that from then on no program would be broadcast on the 50 KW medium wave transmitter, the files of particular slogans, talks, recorded songs and other broadcast materials were sent to Dhaka for broadcast as needed. On the other hand, I had to personally deal with the complication that arose from the complaint that the decision of the Prime Minister via Information Secretary was not properly conveyed to the Indian supervisor Kalaiya and Advisor Acharya.  I was busy hectically preparing program content for broadcast in the next session. For that day coworker TH Shikder came to my help. To avoid the dilemma around the name of the station we read the name 'Bangladesh Betar, Mujibnagar'.

The broadcast from Bangladesh Betar Mujibnagar Station – gradually phasing out - went on till the Morning Session of January 2, 1972. During this period I would recite from Quran as well as - based on the filed scripts - Geeta, Tripitaka, and Bible. What is marvelous for me personally is that the broadcast that began in my hands in Kalurghat, Chittagong ended in my own hands in Kolkata.

Translated by: M. Habib. He is a researcher . 

Source:  Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra'r Itihas, Edited by Dr. Zahid Hussain, Published by Ittadi Grantho Prokashoni in December 2005.