The Power of Humour
The fifth edition of the web-based podcast of “Chorompotro-2013†has been released online, after a 9-day gap from the previous episode. The podcast, by the Facebook group 'Shahbag Protibad', had gained massive popularity shortly after the first episode was released on the social network on February 9, and anticipation has been building up for every subsequent release.
The podcast opens with a statement on the scale of developments of the Shahbagh movement since the last release, with the narrator saying that he has a lot to say; all “bottled upâ€. The episode begins with the focus on the death of blogger and Shahbagh activist Rajib, and how the incident was used to divert the motive of the movement to a religious angle. It also sheds light on the incidents countrywide that followed, including the desecration of Shaheed Minar and national flag, and burning prayer mats inside the national mosque.
The language and tonality of the podcast is what makes it powerful; the slow delivery in Dhakaiyya dialect and the humourous references to the enemies of the youth uprising provide for laughs every minute; the script is strong and in-your-face, and some of the references like “Mochua Bahini†and “Bichhu'r Dol†are taken right out of the books of M.R. Akhter Mukul, the original announcer of the “Chorompotroâ€.
“Chorompotro†-- the iconic radio programme aired on Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Liberation War -- was a great source of inspiration for freedom fighters, giving them hope and strength in the battlefields. Though not comparable in scale and circumstances, the 2013 edition is doing a fair job in getting its message through.
The podcasts are available in streaming video format on the facebook.com/ShahbagProtibad, and in audio streaming formats on soundcloud.com/shahbagprotibad.
Comments