Stand against injustice, falsehood

Binod Bihari Chowdhury sits amid flowers at a function on the concluding day of the three-day programme marking his birth centenary celebration on Sunday.Photo: STAR

"Be bold, be undaunted; shake off fear and cowardice. Express hatred towards injustice and falsehood and gather courage to stand against them (injustice and falsehood). Love the country and devote yourselves to the service of countrymen -- the country would be changed."
Binod Bihari Chowdhury, a comrade of Master Da Surya Sen in Chittagong Youth Revolution of 1930 and an anti-British movement veteran, made this call to the young generation.
“We have achieved geographical freedom. But, millions of homeless still spend nights on the footpaths amid rain, sun and hunger. Their miseries are yet to go. We didn't yearn for this sort of freedom,” said Binod at a reception accorded to him, marking his birth centenary celebration in the port city on Sunday.
The grand reception was held on the concluding day of the three-day celebration. Binod is the lone living hero of the historic Jalalabad Pahar (hill) War that kept Chittagong free for four days from April 18 during the British colonial rule in 1930.
Biplobi Binod Bihari Janmosatoborsha Udjapon Parishad organised the programme that began at Khudiram Mancha of Central Shaheed Minar premise on Friday and concluded with the reception at Master Da Surya Sen Mancha of JM Sen Hal on Sunday.
Responding to the reception Binod said, "I'm just an excuse for the honour and respect being showered on me today, the real reception goes to my mentor Master Da Surya sen, who had been an inspiration of patriotism and bravery."
Regarding Binod and co-fighters as inspiration of youthful boldness, Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus in his speech as the chief guest at the reception said, "Their revolution proved how adolescent instinct could defy logics in making impossible possible and waking up the whole Indian sub-continent in Anti-British movement that also provided inspiration for movement for liberation."
"There can not be any difference in the youthfulness of different ages," said Prof Yunus urging the youths of present day to follow Binod to make movement against limitless problems like poverty, illiteracy or the negative impact of climate change the country and countrymen are facing.
The programme designed to put up the historical movement and glory of people of this subcontinent virtually turned into a gathering of litterateurs and renowned personalities from both Bangladesh and India.
Personalities like former chief adviser to a caretaker government Justice Habibiur Rahman, former pro-vice chancellor of Kolkata University and historian Dr Bharty Roy, Scientist Professor Emeritus Dr Jamal Nazrul Islam and Prof Dr Anisuzzaman were among the many who came to accord reception and talk about the movement and life of Binod at the programme.
Poet and journalist Abul Momen moderated the ceremony. Prof Sikander Khan, Prof Mahfuja Khanam, Assistant High Commissioner of India AK Goshwami, and Awami League leader Ataur Rahman Khan Kaiser spoke at the function with Prof Alamgir Md Sirajuddin.
Speakers urged the government for setting up a monument on the top of Jalalabad Hill and observe the birth anniversary of role model like Binod at state level.
In a series of seminars held during the celebration, participants discussed about the life and movement of Binod Bihari terming him a living legend playing role of a conscious guardian in the movement for humanity and freedom.
Life Sketch of Binod Bihari
Binod Bihari Chowdhury was born at North-Bhurshi village under Boalkhali upazila in Chittagong on January 10 in 1999. He was the son of lawyer Kamini Kumar Chowdhury and Bama Chowdhury.
He secured first division in matriculation in 1929 and awarded with Roy Bahadur Scholarship. He passed I A securing first division in 1934 and B A in 1936 from Dewly Detention Camp of Rajputana. Binod did his masters in English from Kolkata University in 1939.
He also completed law from Dewly Detention Camp of Rajputana and Kolkata Presidency Jail in India.
Binod joined Jugantor -- an underground revolutionary organisation in 1927, to come in touch with Master Da Surya Sen, Tarokeshwar Dostidar, Madhusudan Datt and Ramkrishna Bishwas.
He took part in the operation to take armoury under control -- an event wrongly described as armoury loot -- on April 18 in 1930 and in an armed struggle against the British rulers at Jalalabad in Chittagong on April 19.
Binod had been fugitive for the next four years when the British government announced a reward of Tk 500 to help him arrest either alive or dead.
He suffered imprisonment for five years since 1933 at Chittagong jail, Kolkata Presidency Jail, Dewly Detention Camp and Bahrampur jail.
Binod had been under house arrest for a year in 1939. He suffered imprisonment in Chittagong jail, Hijli Prisoners Camp, Dhaka Jail and Khoksha Prisoners Camp from 1941 to 1945.
He was also imprisoned at Chittagong jail again during the year 1965-1966.
Binod was a member of Indian National Congress and elected to the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly as a congress candidate in 1948.
He took part in language movement of 1952 and played a strong role in the law council in this regard.
Binod retired from active politics and engaged himself in an alternative social movement when Ayub Khan proclaimed martial law and banned all the political parties in 1958.
He participated in the movement against autocratic rule in 1969 and engaged in organising freedom fighters during the War of Liberation in 1971.
Binod in his professional life had been an assistant editor of the daily Dainik Panchajon, a law practitioner and a secretary of Law Review Board Chittagong. He worked as the personal secretary to former All India Congress President Neli Sengupta and was in teaching profession for some time as well.