Black and white memories from Calcutta Journo

Dipendu Chowdhury

Bangladesh ‘Mukti Juddha’ was a rare war from the globe. I and my friends from Kolkata were covered the story.  The veteran journalist Upen Tarafdardar of All India Radio, said on 14^th September at Kolkata Press Club during the program of ‘Bangladesher Muktijuddha, Kolkatar sangbadikra O Press Club, Kolkata.’ The book presented to Information Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Hasan Mahmud at a special program. And this book edited by journalist Snehashis Sur, is also president of Kolkata PressClub. Saturday evening (14^th September) we have enjoyed with govt of Bangladesh team at Press Club.  It was sad, but glorious memories of six veteran journalists recounted their experience of Bangladesh’s nine month liberation war, during which the Indian army stood by the muktijoddhas (Freedom fighters).

There six journalist was Dr. Partha Chatterjee, Upen Tarafdar, Manas Ghosh, Dilip Chakrobortty, Sukharanjan Dasgupta and Tarun Ganguly presented their memories during the book presentation event. Indian journalist covering Bangladesh Muktijuddha 1971, they used to wear olive green battle fatigues with ‘Samar Sangbadik’ (war correspondent), the veteran journalist written in the book. We have read the information from above book that the station heads of the CIA and the KGB in Calcutta both of whom had shifted to Dhaka to track the war, were once seen swimming together at the international hotel. Interesting part of the book that the  veteran journalist Tarun Ganguly (80) has added this memories that, some Indian journalist were offered the rank of colonel for their role of war journalist in the Indian-Pakistan war surrounding Bangladesh’s Muktijuddho but they refused as colonels, because they were asked supposed to salute generals. The Kolkata Press Club, marking its 75^th year, has brought out a book on the Bangladesh liberation war with support from the Bangladesh deputy high commission of Kolkata. We have past memory that aforesaid book was published by Mamata Banerjee, C.M of govt of West Bengal on 23 July this year.

Mahamud said, that Dhaka dealt with Indian govt. for diplomatic reasons, but Kolkata remained the truth of the India-Bangladesh relationship. He added that presently Bangladesh index from all front are much high in compare with others under development country’s from the globe. He said that presently our nation Bangladesh is role model of the 21^st century under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh. Hasina Wazed. We would like to follow thought of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Information Minister of Bagladesh, Mahmud added more about the book of ‘Bangladesher Muktijuddha, Kolkatar sangbadikra O Press Club, Kolkata.’ ‘’All this is part of history. I had requested the Kolkata Press Club to get these stories recorded. I will help whichever way I can.’’ Minister was emotional today, in his an authentic speech, the 56-year old Mahmud said that he could not take part in the freedom struggle because he was just eight years old in 1971. But he can remember the war of independence because his father was a leader of the Awami league party.

  

(Courtesy: Devdeep Purohit)