Lesson 1/34 min
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra
Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was the voice of the war. It grew out of the Kalurghat transmission centre in Chattogram, from where Major Ziaur Rahman declared independence on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Stages of the station
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 30 March 1971 | The Kalurghat centre is abandoned after shelling by the Pakistan Air Force |
| 3 April 1971 | Second phase begins from Bagafa in Tripura on a short-wave transmitter |
| 25 May 1971 | The station shifts to Calcutta and starts the same day |
| From 26 May 1971 | Named ‘Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra’ |
| 6 December 1971 | On the day India recognises Bangladesh, it is renamed ‘Bangladesh Betar’ |
| 22 December 1971 | Returns to Dhaka with the government and broadcasts from independent Bangladesh |
Popular programmes
- Charampatra: a satirical talk, planned by Abdul Mannan; M. R. Akhter Mukul wrote it in Dhaka dialect and read it out himself
- Jallader Darbar: a satirical serial written by Kalyan Mitra; it showed Yahya Khan as ‘Kella Fateh Khan’
- The key organiser in the early days: Belal Muhammad
Watch out: A book speaks of the ‘second phase’ beginning on 25 May at Ballygunge, Calcutta. According to Banglapedia the second phase began on 3 April in Tripura; on 25 May the station moved to Calcutta.
Check yourself
Where did the station first operate, and when did it move to Calcutta?
At a glance
- 1
Swadhin Bangla Betar first operated at Kalurghat, Chattogram; an air attack stopped it on 30 March 1971.
- 2
It resumed at Bagafa, Tripura, on 3 April; moved to Calcutta on 25 May; named ‘Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra’ from 26 May.
- 3
Popular programmes: Charampatra (read by M. R. Akhter Mukul) and Jallader Darbar (written by Kalyan Mitra).
- 4
On 6 December 1971 it became ‘Bangladesh Betar’; it broadcast from Dhaka from 22 December.