Courage under fire

Sikander Abu Zafar died on August 5, 1975, just 10 days before his close friend -- father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated on August 15. Sikander Abu Zafar wrote the unforgettable poem “Bangla Chharo”, addressing to the-then military junta of Pakistan. He wrote… “Rokto chokher agun mekhe jholse jaowa amar bochor-gulo/ Ajke jokhon haater muthoy konthonali'r khun piashi churi/ Kaj ki tobe agle rekhe buker kache keute shap-er jhapi /Amar haatei nilam amar nirbhorotar chabi /Tumi amar akash theke sharao tomar chaya / Tumi Bangla chharo.”
This poem was published in the then Dainik Pakistan on March 7, 1971. It was the day when Bangabandhu was to deliver his historic address at the Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan). Bangabandhu read the poem on that morning and highly commended the poet's courage on writing such a bold composition, while talking to Agha Yusuf, a common friend. Agha Yusuf later narrated this anecdote in a memorial speech on Sikander Abu Zafar's death anniversary in Dhaka.
Sikander Abu Zafar was a poet, novelist, playwright, songwriter, journalist and, above all, an editor. He will be remembered for bringing out and editing the landmark monthly magazine Samakal which ran through the 1950s and 1960s, until the Pakistani military crackdown in 1971. Sikander Abu Zafar brought out a leaflet condemning the unprecedented atrocities of Yahya Khan and his armed cohorts in August 1971. In his writings, he also asked the youths of the country to join the liberation forces to take revenge for the murder of their lost near and dear ones. This booklet was distributed to the freedom fighters on many fronts of the Liberation War. This leaflet was translated by the government-in-exile of Bangladesh and was sent to many foreign countries.
Sikander Abu Zafar will also be remembered for his song “Jonota'r Sangram Cholbei”. It is said by many that after Kazi Nazrul Islam no one has been as courageous and rebellious a poet as Sikander Abu Zafar. We will remember him forever.

The writer is a prominent artist and younger brother of Sikander Abu Zafar.