Moving Forwards

ABM Musa

There was a guava tree behind the DIT Bhaban. Some balloons had been fixed in that tree. Then the freedom fighters were said to split the balloons with bullets. It has to be mentioned that on the next day few people have come to give such unique audition. But many of the freedom fighters of 1971 had become famous television personalities. Later, ABM Musa had been elected as a member of the parliament.

Mostofa Kamal Syed had worked for a long time in such important position of the General Manager of BTV. During working in this position he had focused much on both the administrative and the program field. Since he has vast ideas about TV archives and other programs he had presented the audiences various types of programs from that archive. Besides the world of music, Mostofa Kamal Syed had another fascination on cricket world. It can be said with no doubt that the pleasure of enjoying LIVE cricket match in our country is a blessing of Mostofa Kamal Syed. Mostofa Kamal Syed used to keep the information of taking the right of the matches, which satellite will show the match and which match has the importance. To take the right of any foreign movie or sports he had to contact with United States of America or United Kingdom. There are 12 hours difference between the USA time and Bangladeshi time which means 10 AM in the USA means 12 AM in Bangladesh. At that time there was only one ISD phone in the television center. It used to be seen that Mr. Kamal was talking over phone at night at 12 AM. Mr. Kamal never looked at the time when it talks about good programs. At that time the first satellite television has come. Many LIVE matches were seen in that satellite. Mr. Kamal used to watch match during the whole night; took a nap for few hours and then get back to work in the morning on exact time.

There is nothing in television. But it has to satisfy the audiences with whatever it has. It has to survive in the competition. Mr Kamal used to believe this statement from his heart. And that is why he could manage to develop the musical program by implementing new ideas due to which nowadays hundreds of shots are being used in making each music video. At that time on NTV a program named “Koto Shur Koto Gaan” anchored by Syed Abdul Hadi used to record the songs simply with only 3 cameras.

But if it can be judged then this program was one of the famous musical programs in the satellite television history. Mostofa Kamal Syed has also directed many other programs in the same way as he directed such famous musical program.

In the first meeting with him whatever he has been asked to do it can be realized that he is not interested in this matter. A question can be raised in mind why he has a negative vibe in everything? But those who know him, they know that Mostofa Kamal Syed never thinks about anything negative. Rather he thinks perfectly regarding everything. To work on something new he at first analyses the whole thing and then comes up with a decision. The progress of today's package programs, telefilms and television have been originated from Mostofa Kamal Syed's idea.

The writer is Managing Director, Channel i
Translated by Imtiaz Salim