Altaf Mahmud

Sketch: yafiz siddiqui

Composer of the famous song "Aamar Bhaier Rokte Rangano" Altaf Mahmud was a musician, cultural activist, language movement activist and martyred freedom fighter during the country's liberation war. Even though this musical maestro was widely known for his composition "Amar Bhai-er Rokte Rangano Ekushey February", he wrote and composed a number of uplifting patriotic songs like "Satyer Joi", "Bolo Bir" and "Ami Manusher Bhai Spartacus" which were played by the Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the Liberation War while some of them were used in popular Bangladeshi movies. Mahmud's house served as a hiding place for arms caches and he provided food and money to. An active participant of our language movement, during the 1950s he sang Gano Sangeet all over Bangladesh to inspire activists of the Language Movement. Mahmud also took part in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 when his house served as a secret camp for arms caches and he provided food and money to the freedom fighters.   During a combing operation (in August, 1971) in Dhaka city by the Pakistan army, Mahmud was arrested along with his brothers-in-law and a friend. He was tortured and believed to be killed in September. Mahmud is regarded among the Martyred Intellectuals.