A glimpse to a Genius

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the disappearance of legendary Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker Zahir Raihan (August 19, 1935–January 30, 1972). He was posthumously awarded Ekushey Padak in 1977 and Independence Day Award in 1992 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Zahir Raihan perhaps best known for his documentary ‘Stop Genocide’ made during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1960, he made his directorial debut with his film ‘Kokhono Asheni’, which was released in 1961. In 1964, he made Pakistan’s first colour movie ‘Sangam’, and completed his first CinemaScope movie ‘Bahana’ the following year. His other popular films include – ‘Kancher Deyal’, ‘Behula’, ‘Anowara’ and ‘Jibon Theke Neya’, among others.

Raihan was an active supporter of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952 and was present at the historical meeting of Amtala on 21 February 1952. He was among the first group of people who got arrested on the day. The effect of the Bengali Language Movement was so strong on him that he used it as the premise of his landmark film ‘Jibon Theke Neya’. He also took part in the 1969 Mass uprising in East Pakistan. In the immediate aftermath of the March 1971 start of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Raihan made the documentary Stop Genocide.

However, Raihan disappeared on 30 January 1972 trying to locate his brother, the famous writer Shahidullah Kaiser, who was captured and killed by the Pakistan army and local collaborators during the final days of the Liberation War. It is believed that he was killed with many others when armed Bihari collaborators and soldiers of Pakistan Army in hiding fired on them when they went to Mirpur, a suburb of the capital city of Dhaka that was one of few strongholds for Pakistani/Bihari collaborators at that time.

Novels

Shesh Bikeler Meye (A Girl in the Late-Afternoon)

Trishna (Thirst)

Hajar Bachhar Dhare (For Thousand Years)

Arek Phalgun (Another Spring)

Baraf Gala Nadi (River of Melted Ice)

Ar Kato Din (How Many More Days)

Kayekti Mrityu (A Few Deaths)

Ekushey February (21 February)

Short stories

Sonar Harin (The Golden Deer)

Shomoyer Prayojane

Ekti Jigyasa (One Question)

Harano Balay (The Lost Ring)

Badh (The Protest)

Suryagrahan (The Solar Eclipse)

Naya Pattan (The New Foundation)

Bhangachora (The Broken)

Aparadh (The Crime)

Swikriti (The Congratulations)

Ati Parichito (Very Familiar)

Ichchha Anichchha (Wish or No Wish)

Janmantar (Reincarnation)

Poster

Ichchhar Agune Jwalchhi

Katogulo Kukurer Artanad (Bark of Some Dogs)

Kayekti Sanlap (Some Dialogues)

Demag (Pride)

Massacre

Ekusher Galpo (Story of 21)

Films

Kokhono Asheni, 1961

Sonar Kajol, 1962 (jointly with Kalim Sharafi)

Kancher Deyal, 1963

Sangam, 1964, Urdu

Bahana, 1965, Urdu

Behula, 1966

Anwara, 1967

Jibon Theke Neya, 1970

Jaltey Suraj Ke Neeche, 1971, Urdu

Let There Be Light, unfinished

Documentary films

Stop Genocide, 1971

A State is Born, 1971