Zahir Raihan
Encyclopedia
Zahir Raihan was a Bangladesh
i novelist, writer
and filmmaker. He is perhaps best known for his documentary Stop Genocide
made during the Bangladesh Liberation War
. He disappeared on December 30, 1972 trying to locate his brother, the famous writer Shahidullah Kaiser
, who was captured and killed by the Pakistan army
and/or local collaborators during the last days of the war. Evidences have been found that he was killed among many others when some armed Bihari collaborators and disguised soldiers of Pakistan Army fired on them when they went to Mirpur, a distant place from the main city of Dhaka that was still being held by Pakistani/Bihari collaborators.
, Bangladesh. After the Partition of Bengal
in 1947, he, along with his parents, returned to his village from Calcutta. He obtained Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Bangla from Dhaka University. He had been married twice, to Sumita Devi
in 1961 and Shuchonda
in 1968, both of whom were film actresses.
. Along with literature works Raihan started working as a journalist when he joined Juger Alo in 1950..Later he also worked in newspapers, namely Khapchhara, Jantrik, and Cinema. He also worked as the editor of Probaho in 1956. His first collection of short stories, titled Suryagrahan, was published in 1955. He worked as an assistant in the film Jago Huya Sabera in 1957. This was his first foot print in film. He also assisted Salahuddin in the film Je Nodi Morupothay. The filmmaker Ehtesham also took him for his movie A Desh Tomar Amar, for which he wrote the title song. In 1960 he arrived as a director with his film Kokhono Asheni. In 1964, he made Pakistan's first colour movie, Sangam
, and completed his first CinemaScope
movie, Bahana, the following year.
He was an active worker of the Language Movement
of 1952 and was present at the historical meeting of Amtala on February 21, 1952. The effect of language movement was so high on him that he made his legendary film "Jibon Theke Neya" based on it. He also took part in the "Gano Obhyuthyan" in 1969. In 1971 he joined in the Liberation War of Bangladesh and created documentary films on this great event. During the war of liberation Raihan went to Kolkata
where his film "Jibon Theke Neya" were shown. His film was highly acclaimed by Satyajit Ray
, Mrinal Sen
, Tapan Sinha
and Ritwik Ghatak. Though he had his financial problem going on that time, he gave all his money to the Freedom Fighters trust that he got from the show.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i novelist, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and filmmaker. He is perhaps best known for his documentary Stop Genocide
Stop Genocide
Stop Genocide is a 1971 documentary film by eminent Bangladeshi filmmaker Zahir Raihan. It is a 20-minute film that documents the killings and atrocities carried out by the Pakistan Army on the people of the then East Pakistan...
made during the Bangladesh Liberation War
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
. He disappeared on December 30, 1972 trying to locate his brother, the famous writer Shahidullah Kaiser
Shahidullah Kaiser
Shahidullah Kaiser was a Bangladeshi novelist and writer. He was born on 16 February 1927 in the Mazupur village in what is now the Feni District, Bangladesh.-Early life and education:...
, who was captured and killed by the Pakistan army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
and/or local collaborators during the last days of the war. Evidences have been found that he was killed among many others when some armed Bihari collaborators and disguised soldiers of Pakistan Army fired on them when they went to Mirpur, a distant place from the main city of Dhaka that was still being held by Pakistani/Bihari collaborators.
Biography
Zahir Raihan was born on 19 August 1935, as Mohammad Zahirullah, in the village Majupur, now in Feni DistrictFeni District
Feni is a small southern district of Bangladesh, bordering Tripura in India, Chittagong district, the Bay of Bengal, Noakhali district and Comilla district...
, Bangladesh. After the Partition of Bengal
Partition of Bengal
Partition of Bengal may refer to the partition of the Bengal region during two separate occasions:*Partition of Bengal *Partition of Bengal...
in 1947, he, along with his parents, returned to his village from Calcutta. He obtained Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Bangla from Dhaka University. He had been married twice, to Sumita Devi
Sumita Devi
Sumita Devi was a Bangla film and TV actress. She was born Hena Bhattacharya in Manikganj District, Bengal . She was married to the filmmaker Zahir Raihan.-Film career:...
in 1961 and Shuchonda
Shuchonda
Shuchonda is a renowned Bangladeshi film actress born in Jessore. She started her career in the mid of 1960s. She performed as heroine at a lot of successful movies in Bangla. Her younger sisters Bobita and Chompa are also very famous actresses in the Bangladesh and South Asian film industries...
in 1968, both of whom were film actresses.
Early life and professional career
Zahir Raihan received his post graduate degree in Bengali LiteratureLiterature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. Along with literature works Raihan started working as a journalist when he joined Juger Alo in 1950..Later he also worked in newspapers, namely Khapchhara, Jantrik, and Cinema. He also worked as the editor of Probaho in 1956. His first collection of short stories, titled Suryagrahan, was published in 1955. He worked as an assistant in the film Jago Huya Sabera in 1957. This was his first foot print in film. He also assisted Salahuddin in the film Je Nodi Morupothay. The filmmaker Ehtesham also took him for his movie A Desh Tomar Amar, for which he wrote the title song. In 1960 he arrived as a director with his film Kokhono Asheni. In 1964, he made Pakistan's first colour movie, Sangam
Sangam (Urdu film)
Sangam is a Pakistani Urdu film released in 1964, directed by Zahir Raihan starring Rosy Samad, Khalil, Haroon Rashid and Sumita Devi. This is the first full-length colour movie made in entire Pakistan....
, and completed his first CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
movie, Bahana, the following year.
He was an active worker of the Language Movement
Language Movement
The Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement , was a political effort in Bangladesh , advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan...
of 1952 and was present at the historical meeting of Amtala on February 21, 1952. The effect of language movement was so high on him that he made his legendary film "Jibon Theke Neya" based on it. He also took part in the "Gano Obhyuthyan" in 1969. In 1971 he joined in the Liberation War of Bangladesh and created documentary films on this great event. During the war of liberation Raihan went to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
where his film "Jibon Theke Neya" were shown. His film was highly acclaimed by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
, Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
, Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha
Tapan Sinha , was a Indian film director. He was arguably the most uncompromising filmmaker outside the orbit of Parallel Cinema.-Personal life and background:...
and Ritwik Ghatak. Though he had his financial problem going on that time, he gave all his money to the Freedom Fighters trust that he got from the show.
Books
- Surya Grahan (The eclipse), 1954
- Shesh Bikeler Meye (The Girl from the Afternoon)
- Hajar Bochhor Dhore (Through Thousand Years)
- Arek Falgun (Another FalgunFalgunFalgun is the eleventh month in the नेपाली Nepali calendar বঙ্গাব্দ Bangla Calendar and the Bikram Sambat. This also marks the arrival of spring,the sixth and final season in Nepal and Bangladesh...
Day), based on the Language MovementLanguage MovementThe Bengali Language Movement, also known as the Language Movement , was a political effort in Bangladesh , advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan...
of 1952 - Borof Gola Nodi (The River of Icy Waters)
- Ar Kata Din (For How Long)
- Koyekti Mrittu (A Few Deaths)
- Trishna (Thirst)
Movies and documentaries
- Kokhono Asheni, 1961 (his first film as director)
- Sonar Kajol, 1962 (jointly directed with Kolim Sharafi)
- Kancher Deyal, 1963
- Sangam, 1964 (the first colour film made in PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) - Bahana, 1965
- Behula, 1966
- Anowara, 1966
- Dui Bhai, 1968
- Jibon Theke NeyaJibon Theke NeyaJibon Theke Neya is a Bengali film by Bangladeshi filmmaker Zahir Raihan.The film is a political satire based on the Bengali Language Movement, and stars Shaukat Akbar, Anwar Hossain, Khan Ataur Rahman and Rosy Samad....
, 1969 - Let There Be Light
Documentary Films
- "Stop GenocideStop GenocideStop Genocide is a 1971 documentary film by eminent Bangladeshi filmmaker Zahir Raihan. It is a 20-minute film that documents the killings and atrocities carried out by the Pakistan Army on the people of the then East Pakistan...
", Documentary on the genocide by Pakistani Army in the Bangladesh Liberation WarBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
, 1971 - "Birth of A Nation"
- "Liberation Fighters"(Production)
- "Innocent Milions"(Production)