Swadhin Bangla Betar: Freedom fighter status for 58 more artistes

The government yesterday recognised 58 more artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra as freedom fighters.

Ministry of Liberation War Affairs yesterday issued a gazette notification in this regard 45 years after their important roles in the war effort and victory in the Liberation War.

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The government last year began recognising the roles of artistes and employees of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra after a definition for freedom fighters had been made on June 26 last year.

According to the definition, artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, its medical team who treated freedom fighters, and its football team are freedom fighters as their contributions boosted the morale of the freedom fighters as well as that of the persecuted. 

Host MR Akhtar Mukul of the popular satire programme of the radio station Charampatra; filmmaker and actor Shubhash Dutta, singers Timir Nandi, Fakir Alamgir, Kalyani Ghosh, Milon Bhattacharjee, Begum Mustari Shafi, and Manjusri Neyogi are among the artistes who were recognised yesterday.

They would receive the same benefits as freedom fighters -- a monthly allowance of Tk 10,000, two annual bonus, and special quotas in government jobs and other benefits for their children and grandchildren.

With the latest, a total of 253 wartime radio artistes have been accorded freedom fighter status by the government.

Singers of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra had not only played key roles in inspiring the nation in 1971, but also financially assisted Bangladeshi refugees in India. The station, which evolved from the Kalurghat transmission centre in Chittagong, was bombed by the Pakistan Air Force on March 30. It resumed operations on April 3, 1971, from Tripura of India and was moved to Kolkata on May 25, 1971.