The songsmith who inspired freedom fighters
Govinda Halder (1930-2015)
The lyricist whose powerful lyrics ignited the freedom fighters' passion to emerge victorious against the Pakistan occupation forces during our Liberation War is no more.
Govinda Halder, most known for his lyric of Mora Ekti Phulke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori, breathed his last at a clinic in Kolkata yesterday at the age of 84.
His other notable songs include "Ek Sagor Rokter Binimoye, Banglar Swadhinata Anlo Jara", and "Purbo Digonte Surjo Uthechhe, Rokto Lal".
These songs, broadcast on Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the war, spurred the whole nation to take up arms against the Pakistan army. They indeed served as the biggest morale-booster when the freedom fighters' spirits sank low due to the loss and brutalities they had endured at the hands of a well-equipped occupation force.
Halder, who had always kept a low profile, had been suffering from kidney disease and other age-old complications. As his health deteriorated, he was admitted to the Jitendra Narayan Roy Polyclinic on December 13 last year.Learning about his illness, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called him and took the responsibility of his treatment as his family was struggling to bear the cost.
During his visit to India last month, President Abdul Hamid met him at the hospital and enquired about his health and treatment.
"He is one of us. He is a Muktijoddha, a brave soldier," Hamid told reporters.
Successive governments failed to give him due recognition until Halder was conferred the Friends of Liberation War Award in Dhaka in 2012. Unfortunately, he was not able to receive the honour on his own for his feeble health. His daughter, Gopa Halder, received the award to a standing ovation.
When there was a need for new inspirational songs to motivate the resisting freedom fighters after the Pakistan army launched its genocide campaign in March 1971, Halder appeared like a saviour. Kamal Lohani, then news editor of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, found him out in Kolkata.
Mora Ekti Phul Ke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori was aired in the first week of June. His other masterpiece – Ek Shagor e Rokter Binimoye – was broadcast on December 20, which, to this day, is regarded as the greatest tribute to our martyrs.
There was a rule during the war that no foreigner could write or perform songs for the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. Halder's name was thus removed from the title list. Even after Bangladesh gained independence, his name remained absent from the credit list.
"In June 1972 I went to Bangladesh to inform the Bangladesh Betar authorities about my concerns. After a bilateral agreement, they signed me on as an official lyricist and finally my name appeared on the title list of the songs," wrote Halder in an article published in Tarokalok in 1985.
In his article he lamented that even though the Betar made an agreement with him, he didn't get any royalties from the authorities concerned. "They sent me vouchers from 1972 to 1973. I signed them. But despite that, they deprived me of the modest remuneration," he wrote.
Halder, who had visited Bangladesh once in 1972, had penned nearly 3,500 semi-classical, folk, baul, kirtan and modern Bengali songs before glaucoma claimed his sight and ended his writing capacity.
Artists from All India Radio and Doordarshan did also sing some of his songs from other genres but Halder was never acknowledged in a befitting manner. Most of his works, both songs and poetry, remain unpublished and unknown.
Halder's first book on poetry had been a success. The 500-odd copies that the writer had managed to print in 1989 were sold out. Unfortunately, he did not have the means to reprint 'Door Digante', a collection of his poems.
His daughter Gopa Halder informed The Daily Star that about 3,000 songs of his father were yet to be published.
Halder was born in India's Bongaon in August 1930. After schooling in Bongaon, he did his graduation and post-graduation in Bangla from Calcutta University. Later, he joined the income tax department and retired in July 1988, said Gopa.
Both President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed their profound shock at the death of Govinda Haldar. They prayed for the eternal peace of his departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Halder, who is survived by his wife Parul Halder and daughter Gopa, was later cremated at Neemtola crematorium, reported our New Delhi correspondent.
Halder is no more. But his songs will remain in our hearts forever and they will continue to inspire us whenever we as a nation will be beset with turbulent times.
Kind regards,
Sulata Mojumder
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