Far away from their homes, freedom fighters -- exhausted, hungry, even wounded -- huddled around the radio in their camps. At the same time, at homes too, many pressed their ears on the radio, with fingers on the knob, adjusting the volume every now and then, careful about keeping it as low as possible.
No matter what, they all tuned in and listened on. After all, the radio, amidst the depths of misery, provided hope.
The patriotic songs played through Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the War of Liberation did a lot for the motivation of the freedom fighters. The songs reinforced their nationalistic identity, made their blood boil and take arms against the occupying force.
The artistes at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra fought war with words and music. The radio station was even bombed and it had to change location a number of times, before it finally settled in Kolkata.
With fiery lyrics sung with immense passion, the songs were the cradle of the idea of freedom. From reverberating the call of Bangabandhu with 'Shono Ekti Mujiburer Theke', to keeping the motive of the war alive with 'Mora Ekti Phoolke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori' -- a vision of a free country was set on the horizon: 'Purbo Digante Shurjo Utheche'.
Today, the songs bring back memories, of heroism and valour, horror and agony; and for the younger generations, a rekindling of spirit...
9 buttons of the radio represents 9 songs of "Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra"
Click on the radio buttons to listen to 9 of the revolutionary songs and history behind their making
1. Badh bhenge dao
Composer & Lyricist:
Rabindranath Tagore
The song was written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
2. Bijoy nishan urche oi
Lyricist:
Shahidul Haque Khan
Composer:
Sujeyo Shyam
On 16th December1971, Sujeyo Shyam, the composer at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, was assigned a special task -- to compose a song to celebrate Bangladesh’s independence. The entire song was written and composed within an hour.
3. Jonotar sangram cholbei
Composer:
Sheikh Luthfur Rahman
Composer:
Sikandar Abu Zafar
On 27 March 1971, just the day after the Operation Searchlight crackdown, a voice was heard over Radio saying "Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra theke bolchi" (I'm speaking from Free Bengal Revolutionary Wireless Radio Station).
4. Joy Bangla Banglar Joy
Lyricist:
Gazi Mazharul Anwar
Composer:
Anwar Parvez
Filled with the optimism of how Bangladesh will undoubtedly win the war, this song was immensely popular during the Liberation War. The lyricist of the song, Gazi Mazharul Anwar shared, “There was a studio in Farmgate where we regularly had conversations regarding songs. One day I was thinking of writing a song for the country. The song initially started with Bangabandhu’s “Joy Bangla”. Pretty soon, the composer of the song, Anwar Parvez joined and we began to work on it. Suddenly Altaf Mahmud walked into the room and soon enough, with his words of encouragement, we completed writing of the song. Then we recorded the song and submitted it to Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra.
5. Mora ekti phulke bachabo bole juddho kori
Lyricist:
Gobinda Haldar
Composer:
Apel Mahmud
The song portrays the spirit of our freedom fighters who fought for everything, material and immaterial, that are parts of Bangladesh. In 2006, this song gained the 7th position in the list of 20 Greatest Bangla Songs of all time prepared by BBC.
6. Purbo digante surjo utheche
Lyricist:
Gobinda Haldar
Composer:
Samar Das
This song was so popular that it was even labelled as “Shongramer Gaan” (The song of Liberation Struggle). Singer Abdul Jabbar shared an interesting fact about the song, “The song was written during the peak of the war. It was written at the very premise of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and was transmitted from there.” According to prominent lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar, this is one of the top five songs of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
7. Rokto die nam likhechi
Lyricist:
Abdul Kashem Shondhip
Composer:
Sujeya Syam
Sujeya Syam recalls, “The Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra restarted its operations from Baliganj on 25th May 1971. I went there a month later. One day I was coming out of the studio when Abdul Kashem Shondhip handed me a lyric that he wanted to show to Samar Das. I looked at it and was mesmerised by it, and composed it the very next day.”
8. Shono Ekti Mujiborer
Lyricist:
Gauriprasanna Mazumder
Composer:
Anshuman Roy
It was on 4th April 1971 when lyricist Gauriprasanna Mazumder, composer Anshuman Roy and music director Dinendra Chowdhury were all sitting at a tea stall at Garia, a neighborhood of southern Kolkata. They were engaged in friendly discussions, with the core topic being the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Suddenly Gauriprasanna Mazumder came across an idea, and he immediately began to scribble the first four lines of this song. The other two artists joined him and created a tune for the lyrics.
9. Teer hara ei dheuer sagor pari dibo re
Lyricist:
Apel Mahmud
Composer:
Apel Mahmud
Rathindranath Roy shares, “It was probably 13th or 14th June in 1971 when I finally managed to reach the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra at Kolkata’s Baliganj. There I came across Apel Mahmud, one of my long-time friends. As it turns out, he was in the process of writing a song and wanted me to sing it. And that is how, on my very first day at the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, I got the privilege to be a part of this historic song”.
The people behind the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra were later recognised as
Freedom Fighters of 1971
