‘Char Ronger Basha’ by HerStory Foundation and Cholpori premieres
Char Ranger Basha, a short stop-motion animation produced by HerStory Foundation and Cholpori, premiered online following its virtual launching ceremony, recently. The animation illustrates the four key principles of Bangabandhu's politics - democracy, secularism, socialism and nationalism - through colourful metaphors and symbols for children. In an attempt to educate youth on the values and political ideals that serve as the foundation of Bangladesh's constitution, the production follows the story of the establishment of Bangabandhu as a leader and the formation of his philosophy.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, MP, was present at the event as the chief guest, whereas renowned actor and former Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Tina F Jabeen, Investment Advisor, Startup Bangladesh, Dr Nasreen Ahmad, Former Pro-VC, Dhaka University, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, MP, Deputy Minister for Education and N M Zeaul Alam, Senior Secretary, ICT Division were virtually present as the guests of honour, among many others.
The animation was inaugurated by Dr Dipu Moni. "This stop motion animation highlights the four pillars of the constitution using language, style and a medium that is adapted for children. In this age of digital learning, I believe that children's learning needs need to be curated in a manner that the content we provide is enjoyable and easily comprehensible," she said prior to the premiere. "Education shouldn't always be about tests or exams, but rather, about how to raise a morally sound, responsible and sensitive human being, like the Father of the Nation envisioned for the next generation."
The animation is created using clay in a stop-motion style and is voiced by celebrated actor Asaduzzaman Noor. "If we can educate our children with enjoyable, engaging content – they will naturally take to that information. It's vital that we help teach our children the correct history of our nation, to tell them the stories of the birth of our nation to help them gain a sense of identity," he said during the online inaugural ceremony. "Animations like this will help depict the essence of our nation, and our identity in a way that children can appreciate, enjoy and remember."
Created by Ogopogo Studios and Kazi House Productions, the animation was designed by Saiq'a S Chowdhury and Amit Ashraf. Special support and assistance was provided by Tofail Ahmed, MP, Mashiur Rahman, Economic Advisor and Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank. During the event, the animators talked about their journey with making the video in such a short time frame.
Following their lead, guest of honour Tina F Jabeen, Investment Advisor, Startup Bangladesh, also stressed on the importance of digital content, and shared her thoughts on creating a learning portal for children that would contain superior quality content on history of our nation so children can be taught about the extraordinary story about the birth of Bangladesh, along with other learning resources.
In the animation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman teaches a young girl to build a birdhouse, he tells her how he came to discover these values, what they mean and how he used them to build the frameworks of a nation. "In this historic month of mourning, I would like to commend the production of Char Ronger Basha in bringing forward such a time-appropriate, and child-friendly video on Bangabandhu's instrumental work with the constitution," mentioned Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, MP, Deputy Minister for Education. "This stop-motion animation goes beyond just telling a story, but rather, opens a child's mind and encourages them to be curious to know more about our history, instilling in them a sense of identity and pride about the true history of Bangladesh."
The inaugural programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Zareen Mahmud Hosein, Founder and ED of HerStory Foundation. "We are honoured to be able to create this animation to commemorate the month of mourning, and to have the support of the government, Start Up Bangladesh and the ICT division in our endeavour to provide quality, child-friendly content that takes teaching and learning to a new level," she shared. "We hope to take both HerStory and Cholpori to new heights, redefining how children learn."