Well-oiled machine

Almost all the producers used to take advises for any types of program from Mr. Kamal. Mr. Kamal has also discussed about several plans with the package drama makers and the producers. But the audiences never have seen his name as the adviser in the screen. Perhaps no other officer has worked a lot for television as he did by hiding himself behind the screen.

Yet, television means a glamorous universe. Continuous attendance in the screen. Mr. Kamal has resisted himself from this illusion. He never has tried to highlight his existence neither in the screen nor anywhere. But, since the last two decades in television Mostofa Kamal Syed was the leader behind taking every big decision. But he has kept doing his duty so that the package program can go on.

The name of the first package drama that has been telecasted from the television is “Prachir Periye”. The producer was Atiqul Haque Chowdhury. His name has been shown in the last of the title since it was a package drama. The most amazing fact is that the story of the first ever package drama has not been written by any regular playwright of television. It was a story from the Masud Rana series by Kazi Anwar Hossain. Famous model Nobel has acted in the role of Masud Rana in that drama. And the producer of that was Arefin Badol who is the publisher, editor and story writer of fortnightly magazine “Tarokalok”.

If anybody asks about how a package drama can be telecasted then everyone will say that it is being telecasted by the sponsors. There was a contract between Arefin Badol and the television regarding the telecast of the first package drama. According to that contract, Arefin Badol didn't show the drama by arranging any sponsor. He got 3 lakhs 50 thousand taka from the television. The advertisement section of BTV has arranged all the sponsors for this drama. But, Mostofa Kamal Syed had to go through all the difficulties while withdrawing the money from the ministry. There were some tender procedures of the government. Mostofa Kamal Syed then made a complete package program policy by taking all the responsibilities.

Mostofa Kamal Syed was the only person in the television history who did his duty in both news and program sections at the same time as DDG. He has brought many structural changes in camera works and technical things in the news while doing the duty for the news section.

He has even helped those who used to make package program by obeying the package policy. Once a producer has managed all the things to take his shooting unit to Nepal. If the man would have shot the whole drama in Nepal then he would have faced financial loss. Because, according to the package policy the producer will have to seek for permission of the package committee if he or she wants to make any drama in abroad. If that producer would have gone to Nepal without taking Mr. Kamal's advice then he would have faced a severe loss.

Mostofa Kamal Syed in his entire television career has helped a lot of people. This selfless man has always thought about keeping television closer to the people.

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