Eyewitness to History: From Childhood to Politics and Struggle

From my childhood, I grew up observing politics closely through the life and activities of my father, Rasendra Datta Chowdhury. His political journey spans an extraordinary period in the history of East Pakistan and later independent Bangladesh.

He was an active participant in the historic Language Movement of 1952 and is today the only surviving leader of the Balishira Hill Movement of 1963. He is also the only living accused among the four defendants in the widely discussed “Joy Bangla” case filed on 6 April 1970, in which they were charged with attempting to break Pakistan. Throughout his long political life, marked by continuous struggle and resistance, he has been imprisoned many times during both the Pakistan era and the period after Bangladesh’s independence, and he has faced political attacks on several occasions.

During the turbulent period of the Liberation War in 1971, my father played an important role as an organiser and active participant in the movement for independence. Throughout that critical time, he worked in favour of Bangladesh’s freedom and maintained effective communication and cooperation with Indian authorities who supported the liberation struggle. In recognition of his contribution and his efforts to strengthen relations with India during the war, the Government of India later honoured him with an honorary certificate.

Having witnessed many significant chapters of Bengal’s political history, he still lives among us today. Yet despite his notable contributions to the Language Movement and the Liberation War, he has never received official state recognition as a Language Movement veteran or as a freedom fighter. After a lifetime of courageous struggle, this brave individual continues to wait for the rightful honour and recognition he deserves.

Unfortunately, he is not alone. Many genuine political activists who worked for the independence of the country were later deprived of official recognition. In my father’s case, this happened largely due to parochial attitudes and political influence within the Sreemangal Upazila Freedom Fighter Scrutiny Committee. At that time, the committee was chaired by the then Agriculture Minister and Member of Parliament, Vice Principal Abdus Shaheed, along with several other members.

Seeking justice for my father, I personally met the then Minister for Liberation War Affairs, A. K. M. Mozammel Haque, on 19 May 2024. I requested him to ensure a proper hearing of the appeal submitted by my octogenarian father regarding his recognition as a freedom fighter. Unfortunately, the minister informed me that there was nothing he could do regarding the matter. In this situation, I had no alternative but to file a writ petition with the High Court. The case is currently awaiting judgment, and pursuing the matter has required frequent travel and considerable personal effort and hardship.

My early memories of political struggle also include the turbulent period following the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. During that time, the police surrounded our home in the Purbasha Residential Area of Sreemangal Thana in Moulvibazar district. My father was arrested and imprisoned as a political prisoner. In 1977 he was released after his party leader, Professor Muzaffar Ahmed, filed a writ petition in the High Court through his secretary or political assistant.

From my early childhood, I grew up in an environment deeply connected with politics. I was very young during those turbulent years, yet politics was strongly present within our family atmosphere. Even after his release from jail, my father remained actively engaged in political activities. As a result, I had the opportunity to closely observe the political discussions and gatherings of leaders and activists that frequently took place around us.

During my father’s imprisonment, our beloved mother carried the enormous responsibility of maintaining the family. She struggled tirelessly to raise us and keep the household running. Through sewing and other small efforts she worked day and night to support the family during those difficult years. Her determination ensured that we could continue our lives despite hardship and uncertainty. Her strength and sacrifice during that period remain among the most inspiring chapters of our family history.

After his release from prison, my father resumed his political activities. Our modest mud-built house gradually became a gathering place for political leaders, activists, and supporters. This old mud-walled house, still standing as a silent witness to history, once served as a gathering place for leaders and activists from various political parties, who held private meetings here during the military rules of General Ziaur Rahman and General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. From a very early age I listened to their discussions about politics, society, and the future of the country.

Those scenes from childhood still remain vivid in my memory. Political conversations would continue for hours inside our home or at informal meeting places. I was a small helper then—sometimes carrying cups of tea, sometimes arranging them on a tray. One by one, the leaders and activists would pick up their cups, while discussions about the country’s politics, its future, and the ongoing struggles unfolded around them.

In 1980, he visited Soviet Russia for one and a half months under the Leaders’ Tour program. During that time, the government led by President Leonid Brezhnev arranged visits to various important places across the country and introduced him to Russia’s history, heritage, and different activities through guided tours.

Later, when President Hussain Muhammad Ershad reopened political activities and announced local government elections, local residents and political supporters encouraged my father to contest the election for Chairman of the Sreemangal Union Parishad in 1983. Responding to public encouragement, he entered the election and won by a large margin.

My father also owned a small shop on Station Road in Sreemangal town where he sold books and other essential items. Over time the shop became much more than a business place. It functioned as his informal political and journalistic office. People from different professions and social backgrounds regularly gathered there to discuss public issues, politics, and community affairs. I observed those conversations carefully and learned from them.

Reading newspapers also became a habit for me from a very early age. My father worked as a journalist for the daily newspaper Sangbad and received a complimentary copy every day. I eagerly read the newspaper and gradually developed a deep interest in journalism.

In those days my father wrote his reports by hand and sent them to the newspaper office by post. When urgent news occurred, he used telegrams to send messages quickly to the editorial office. Observing his work closely, I learned how he structured his reports and presented facts. From his style and discipline I gradually developed my own interest and ability in writing.

My own writing journey began in the late 1980s through the national daily The Daily Khabor. During the rule of General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Daily Khabor was a popular newspaper widely read across the country. The quality of journalism at that time was also notably strong and most journalists followed the professional principles and ideals of the profession.

Later I contributed to several well-known publications, including Ajker Kagoj, Janakantha, and the popular weekly magazine Chitra Bangla. I also occasionally wrote features and articles for the daily Sangbad. Beginning in 1995, I worked for several years with The Independent, a national English-language daily newspaper in Bangladesh.

Just after 1990, when I began working on the history of the Liberation War and documenting the stories of freedom fighters, I had the opportunity to interview many of them. A recurring sentiment emerged in those conversations. Many freedom fighters expressed their disappointment, saying: “The Bangladesh we dreamed of when we fought the war has not yet been built.” Their words of frustration still echo in my ears today.

Over time, Bangladesh’s political landscape passed through many turning points. From the era of General Ziaur Rahman to the rule of General H. M. Ershad, and later the mass uprising of 1990, each represents an important chapter in the nation’s political history. We too participated in that movement. Yet reflecting on decades of experience, it sometimes appears that the political climate of those earlier periods differed considerably from the realities that developed in the decades that followed.

In my observation, one of the most troubling political periods emerged during the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus from August 2024 to January 2026. During that time, unexpected incidents of mob justice, religious fanaticism, killings, and organised mob violence created deep concern and uncertainty in different parts of the country.

According to my observation, a comparatively more stable political environment also appeared during the caretaker administration led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed between 2007 and 2008, when the government operated with the backing of the military and attempted to restore administrative discipline and political order. A significant number of corrupt politicians, business figures, bureaucrats and notorious criminals were sent to jail during this period.

However, I soon discovered that journalism could involve conflict and personal risk. In reality, practising honest and objective journalism often requires constant vigilance, because journalists who refuse to follow partisan instructions or propaganda frequently become targets of retaliation. If a journalist does not conform to political expectations or refuses to write in a manner favourable to particular groups, organised pressure may be applied to intimidate or silence that voice.

A group of sycophant journalists and vested interests once began spreading fabricated stories about me and my father in an attempt to suppress and harass us. At one stage they even attempted to influence the highest local government official to have me imprisoned. Their attempt ultimately failed because my father and several respected senior journalists intervened wisely and defended the truth.

In many cases, journalists who maintain independence are threatened with false accusations, administrative pressure, or politically motivated legal cases designed to damage their credibility and freedom. Such tactics were also used against me.

On one occasion, an influential leader of a major political party became deeply displeased with my objective reporting and contacted the authorities of the newspapers for which I wrote, urging them to allow members of his own party to replace independent voices. Because those newspapers often maintained close political relations with his party and received various forms of indirect support, pressure gradually increased against my position.

Eventually, a group of influential individuals with vested interests became furious over several reports I had published. They began publicly opposing me in different forums and gatherings. At their suggestion, organised groups of attackers confronted and assaulted me at different times and locations. Several cases were filed with the local police station regarding these incidents. However, investigations made little progress, partly because the accused individuals were connected to powerful political interests.

Another major difficulty was the lack of witnesses willing to testify. Many people were reluctant to appear before the police or courts to provide evidence against influential individuals, which made it extremely difficult to pursue justice through legal channels.

These experiences revealed the serious challenges faced by journalists who attempt to report independently and truthfully.

Over the years, the country’s political culture has also undergone significant changes. Among the public there is now a widespread perception that corruption, disorder, and political violence have gradually increased.

Looking back on different periods of governance that I have personally witnessed, the political environment often appears increasingly complex and polarised. At the same time, another troubling trend has emerged—the gradual development of a corrosive political culture. In the pursuit of power and interests, communal issues have at times been exploited for narrow political gain. From 1989, 1990 and 1992 to 2001, 2012 and even in recent years, various incidents have triggered violence and communal tension in different parts of the country. In many of these cases, allegations of political provocation or vested interests have been raised.

Journalism, too, has not remained untouched by these transformations. Over the past three decades, serious questions have been raised about the quality and credibility of the media. Political and influential groups have, at times directly and at other times indirectly, exerted pressure on journalists. As a result, independent and impartial journalism often becomes constrained.

Journalists who attempt to remain free from such influence and strive to present truthful and objective reporting frequently face different forms of pressure—sometimes administrative, sometimes social, and sometimes from powerful but unseen forces. In many cases, journalists have faced imprisonment, persecution, or even lost their lives simply for revealing the truth.

Facing continuous pressure and threats within the Bangla-language media environment, I was eventually compelled to begin writing for English-language newspapers in order to continue my professional work more freely.

Yet the difficulties did not completely disappear. Various influential groups, including powerful political leaders and wealthy individuals who felt threatened by truthful reporting, continued to exert pressure through administrative channels and other indirect means. Gradually the environment for independent journalism became increasingly unsafe and restrictive for me.

Eventually I decided to leave the profession and pursue employment in the private sector. The situation had become so unfavourable that continuing in journalism posed serious risks to my personal safety and security.

For many years afterward I worked in several private business organisations, particularly within the textile and garment industries. During this period I continued to expand my academic and professional knowledge. I completed a specialization in Journalism from Michigan State University through Coursera. I also completed specialization programs in Human Resources Management, Strategic Leadership, and Management from the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois respectively.

On 21 November 2020, my beloved mother passed away. Only one month later my father suffered a stroke on 31 December 2020. Since then I have devoted most of my time to caring for him. Now in his eighties, he requires regular support and nursing care, which has become my primary responsibility.

In my spare time, I still try to write features, articles, and opinion pieces for newspapers. Yet presenting the real situation of society has become increasingly difficult. Powerful groups often camouflage reality, create divisions among people, and pursue narrow political interests.

One of the most serious problems affecting many communities is land-related conflict. Influential groups frequently attempt to seize land belonging to poor and vulnerable people. In many cases victims are harassed through false legal cases and even sent to jail in order to force them to abandon their property.

Although many journalists are working today in different localities across the country, a significant number hesitate to report these realities. Some maintain close relations with powerful elites or wealthy individuals in order to secure personal benefits. As a result, it becomes extremely difficult for truthful journalism to reveal the real conditions of society and protect the rights of ordinary people.

Consequently, public trust in the media has gradually eroded among a section of society. Yet in a democratic society, independent and responsible journalism is not merely a profession—it represents a profound responsibility toward the state and the people.

Despite these challenges, I continue to believe that responsible journalism remains essential for justice, transparency, and social accountability.

EN/SHRA