Zahir Raihan was one of the most talented film makers in Bangladesh. He
was born on 19August 1935 in the village Majupur, in Feni district. He was an
active worker of the Language Movement. He was one of the ten students to go
out in a procession on 21February 1952 despite a ban on such activities. As a
result, he and many others were arrested and taken to prison. Zahir was also
present at the historical meeting of Amtala on February21, 1952. He also took
part in the mass movement in 1969. In 1971, he joined the Liberation War.
All through his life, Zahir dreamt for a democratic society,
a society that will ensure freedom of speech and will. He had many dreamt about
our film industry too. He made a legendary film “Jibon Theke Neya” based on the
Language Movement of 1952.
It was a revolt against the then autocratic
government. The family presented in that film was a miniature East
Pakistan ruled by an autocrat who had to go to the prison for her
conspiracy. During the liberation war this film was shown outside Bangladesh.
Critics like Satyajit Roy, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak appreciated this film.
Zahir gave all his money to the Freedom Fighters trust that he got from his
film shows. Besides, his great documentary on Pakistani atrocities, Stop
Genocide, helped create world sentiment in favour of our liberation war.
On 30 December1971, someone informed Zahir about an address
somewhere at Mirpur, where he might find his brother, the famous writer
Shahidullah Kaiser. Shahidulla was captured and killed by the Pakistani army
and the local collaborators during the last days of the war. Accordingly Zahir
left home to get his brother back and he never returned. Zahir’s dream was
fulfilled. He could see the inception of a free independent Bangladesh
though he did not get back his brother. And it’s a pity that this dreamer was
missing at such a time when his dream came true.
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