Call-Ready

alalodulal.org

Call-Ready - a very familiar name. In many images of Bangabandhu's historic 7th March speech we have seen the Call-Ready logo emblazoned under the cluster of microphones. Let's recount this untold but fascinating history of Call-Ready.

In 1948 two brothers from Sutrapur, Haripada Ghosh and Dayal Ghosh, opened up a small shop. They named it Arzu Light House. Though name had 'Light House' in it they also rented out gramophones. They became quite popular in a very short time. As the demand grew two brothers shipped in loudspeakers (colloquially known as mikes) from India. Still they could not cope with the surging demands.

Haripada Ghosh knew how to make loudspeakers and microphones. He started assembling them. In 1948, soon after the partition, agitations started to crystallize in East Pakistan. The agitation leaders and workers started to hire loudspeakers from Arzu Light House.

As the demands soared they started importing microphones and loudspeakers from Taiwan, Japan and China. However, while the key parts were imported the rest of it was assembled in the brothers' workshop, making the local horn-shaped bodies of the loudspeakers.

With the 1952 Language Movement in full force many public meetings were being held, raising the demand for microphones and loudspeakers. Moreover, there was also a healthy demand for these for social and religious gatherings.(excerpt)