Zahir Raihan: A Creative Prodigy and An Unsung Hero

 

Zahir Raihan is a creative prodigy and an unsung hero of Bangladesh. He is a writer, journalist, politician, freedom fighter, novelist and successful filmmaker. He has a signature of success in all areas of life. He has succeeded wherever he has given his hand.

This multi-talented son of the nation was born on August 19, 1935, at Majupur village, Sonagazi, in Feni. His real name was Abu Abdar Mohammad Zahirullah. His nickname was Zafar. There is a history behind the rise of Abu Abdar Mohammad Zahirullah to today's world famous name 'Zahir Raihan'. Comrade Moni Singh, general secretary of the East Pakistan Communist Party, is associated with the name 'Zahir Raihan'. In 1953, Mohammad Zahirullah, while studying in Dhaka College, joined the Communist Party at the behest of his elder brother Shahidullah Kaiser. Every communist party worker had a unique name given by the party. Comrade Moni Singh named Abu Abdar Mohammad Zahirullah's party as 'Raihan'. Since then Abu Abdar Mohammad Zahirullah became known and immortalized as 'Zahir Raihan'.

Zahir Raihan is the name of rebellion, the name of inspiration. Zahir Raihan has left his mark of struggle against injustice, inhumanity, misrule, corruption, social dominance and superstition at every level of life. He was fond of art and literature since his student days. Zahir Raihan's first poem, 'Oder Naniye Dao', was published in 'Chotushkone' magazine at the age of 14 while studying in Class-IX at Sonagazi Amirabad B.C Laha School & College. In that poem, Zahir Raihan's deep compassion for the oppressed, innocent and unarmed people is also expressed as a strong protest.

Zahir Raihan is a prominent artist in the film world of Bangladesh and in the lively protest literary genre. Films are the next refuge of Zahir Raihan talent, but he has written his name in golden letters in literature. He has created 'individualism' in literature. His literary works have kept him alive in the human world and will live on for ages.

Zahir Raihan has created a different world in Bengali literature. His creative style is unique. The distinct feeling in his writings is rare in Bengali literature. I think no writer of this country has been able to touch the originality of his writing. Zahir Raihan's individuality is evident in his creations such as the last line of his novel 'Hajar Bochor Dhore'. In this novel, he wrote, "Raat barche, Hajar bochorer purano shei raat" (The night is getting longer, the night is growing by the thousand years). In 'Arek Falgun' novel, Zahir Raihan wrote "Ashchhe Falgune amra digun hobo." (We will be doubled by next spring)
An analysis of Zahir Raihan's literary environment shows that he is primarily a citizen writer--the actual events of urban life are the subject of his novels. Out of the seven novels written by him, only the novel 'Hajar Bochor Dhore', other than the novel, has a city or urban background. In the only novel 'Hajar Bochor Dhore' he has presented the reality of rural life. If Zahir Raihan's novel is divided into three parts, its features can be easily included in the reading scope.

• Arek Falgun and Aar Koto Din
• Hajar Bochor Dhore
• Shesh Bikeler Meye, Borof Gola Nodi, Trishna, Koyekti Mrityu

In the two novels 'Arek Falgun and Aar Koto Din', the expression of history, politics, internationalism, anti-war, struggling life and building a new world free of exploitation and deprivation in the coming days has been revealed.

'Arek Falgun' is an excellent creation of Zahir Raihan. This novel is the first novel based on the language movement of this country. Zahir Raihan's 'Arek Falgun' is a great and worthwhile novel among all the novels written on the basis of language movement till today.

The novel 'Aar Koto Din' is a document of the voices of oppressed people of the world. The exploitation, persecution and oppression of the imperialist powers has made the peace-loving people of the world upset and confused for ages. In the name of religion, in the name of caste, in the name of nationality, in the name of culture--people have to sacrifice themselves again and again. Zahir Raihan seeks the seeds of survival in healthy humanity by protesting against this ruthless self-immolation. He also questioned the healthy conscience--how long will this inhumanity continue? Zahir Raihan wants to make a way to come from darkness to the light of humanity.

The novel 'Hajar Bochor Dhore' is the only novel among Zahir Raihan's seven novels that is set in a rural setting. This novel depicts the simple lifestyle of the people of a particular area. He has shown there the picture of Parir Dighi and its surrounding towns. In that novel, he has presented Feni township in form, gesture, manner and rhythm.

Zahir Raihan's debut novel 'Shesh Bikeler Meye' deals with the love and depression of urban middle-class life. In this novel, Zaheer Raihan has tried to make human desire to live like a flowing river.

There is no death in the novel 'Koyekti Mrityu', no one dies there, but there is fear of death--the fear is pressed like a stone in the chest. Can death be avoided, has anyone been able to avoid it? This realization comes in the elderly character of this novel, Baba Ahmed Ali.

'Trishana' is an urban novel. In this novel, Zahir Raihan has resorted to the interpretation of urban life--the interpretation of which gives a perfect picture of the lifestyle of the urban people of that time. The picture of the struggling life of all the different people, which is basically the thirst to live, is portrayed by Zahir Raihan in this novel.

Zahir Raihan wrote twenty one stories during his lifetime. His story depicts the reality of middle-class life. As the story of village lord's treason has come up there, so the story of the emotions and feelings of the middle class citizens? has also expressed. But the middle class was at the center of writing. The world of his short stories is 'built on the dreams, struggles and heart-secrets of the middle class'. Various movements such as Pakistan movement, Language movement are important subjects of his story. He was able to write only one story about the Liberation War, called 'Shomoyer Proyojone'.

Zahir Raihan's story centers on the life of the middle-class and the demands, pleadings, and complaints of that life. He has very effectively shown that the psychological tension of the middle-class is rooted in its socio-economic tension. He deeply observed the various activities and various characters of the middle-class of a special period in Bangladesh. Due to Raihan's active participation in various political movements, his various stories have revolved around movement and struggle. Both good and bad, rebellious and conciliatory opposites of the middle class are present in that movement.

Zahir Raihan was one of the first ten people in the march to violate Article 144 on February 1, 1952. As such, I think 'Ekushe February', 'Arek Falgun', 'Ekusher Golpo' are expressions of his personal struggling life experience. In this context, Humayun Azad rightly said, "Zahir Raihan is probably the only fiction writer of Bangladesh whose origin is behind the language movement. If 1952's 21st February had not happened, then Zahir Raihan might not have become a writer."

His film 'Stop Genocide' played an effective role in creating global public opinion in favor of Bangladesh's liberation war. Through Stop Genocide, he formed public opinion in refugee camps, meetings and rallies in favor of Bangladesh's liberation war. A few screenings of his film 'Jibon Theke Neya' were held in Kolkata. Famous film makers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha were present at the exhibition. After watching the film, Satyajit Ray said, 'This is a unique talent, the beginning of a new journey in films. Zahir Raihan is a very talented filmmaker.' Zahir Raihan's role in creating public opinion in favor of Bangladesh's liberation war at home and abroad cannot be overstated. His 20-minute long documentary film 'Stop Genocide' on Bangladesh Liberation War, is still important and relevant in world history.

The wounds of twenty-three years of exploitation and deprivation, which were involved in the bloody liberation struggle of nine months that do not dry up basking in the sun. Did we know this before January 30, 1972?

On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was liberated from the Pakistani invaders. But Mirpur was liberated from the invaders on January 31, 1972. Zahir Raihan returned to the country on December 16. His elder brother Shahidullah Kaiser was captured by Al-Badr, he got the news before returning home. On his return to the country, he formed a commission of inquiry to find information about the killing of intellectuals and genocide, and to arrest the killers.

Zahir Raihan went out based on various reliable and unreliable sources to find his brother. Five days after the announcement of the press conference on January 25, 1972, on Sunday morning, January 30, an unknown telephone call by the name of Rafiq came to Zahir Raihan's Kayettuli residence. Zahir Raihan was told on the phone that your elder brother Shahidullah Kaiser is imprisoned in Mirpur-12. If you want to save your BarDa (elder brother) then go to Mirpur. Only you can save him. His film was scheduled to be screened at the Press Club that evening. But on the morning of January 30, Zahir Raihan left for Mirpur with two cars after receiving the telephone call. He was accompanied by his younger brother Zakaria Habib, cousin Shahriar Kabir, brother-in-law Babul and three others. After reaching Mirpur-2, the Indian Army, Bangladesh Army and then East Bengal Regiment and Police officers detained Zahir Raihan's Toyota car and sent the rest back, citing security reasons. Zahir Raihan was not found after that. On that day, over a hundred members of the Bangladesh Army and Police were killed in a surprise attack by fugitive Pakistani soldiers, non-Bengali Razakars and Al-Badars who were stationed in the non-Bengali-dominated area of Mirpur. Zahir Raihan was killed on this day. But Pakistani attendants have lied about the mystery of his death. Various lies have been done for a long time. Finally, after 27 long years, on September 1, 1999, the journalist Zulfiqar Ali Manik's investigative report in 'Daily Bhorer Kagaj' published--how Zahir Raihan was killed by Abangali, Al-Badr and Razakars. The truth of the incident emerges from the eyewitness accounts. All the confusion spread by the anti-liberation war ends.?? Besides, the question arises in the mind—why was he killed that day in a well-planned manner, what did he know, what information did he have, who benefited by killing him?

Even today, when some infamous and evil politicians start creating various confusions about the history of the Liberation War, creating strange fabrications about the mathematical number of martyrs in the Liberation War--then we remember Zahir Raihan's truthful voice.

Participating in the Language movement of 1952 and Great Liberation War of 1971, and sacrificing his potential life--Zahir Raihan expressed how an artist's love and responsibility of the country. He explained what patriotism is. At present, when the poison of communalism, the violence of communal evil prevails across the country, Zahir Raihan's absence is greatly felt.

By losing one Zahir Raihan, we have gone back a long way. In just 37 years of working life, Zahir Raihan has given a lot to this country, gained immortality, became a symbol of inspiration. Multi-talented Zahir Raihan passed away prematurely. A bright star like him had much more to give to this country. If he had been alive, we would have been able to move forward on the path of further progress. Zahir Raihan is a symbol of constant inspiration, the inspiration of young generation.

 
Emran Emon is a researcher,
journalist and a columnist.