Recalling Zahir Raihan
Moviyana arranges commemorative event today
DL DESK, Dhaka
Today marks the 48th anniversary of the disappearance of legendary Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker Zahir Raihan (August 19, 1935January 30, 1972).
Marking the occasion, Moviyana Film Society has arranged a commemorative event and film screening session today at 6pm at the International Digital Archive Room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in Segun Bagicha of the capital.
Filmmaker Syed Salahuddin Zaki, film researcher and writer Anupam Hayat, film critic Mahmuda Chowdhury, Zahir Raihans son Bipul Raihan and president of Moviyana Film Society Belayet Hossain Mamun will discuss the life and works of Zahir Raihan at the event.
Before the discussion, a 1961 Pakistani Bengali-language art film titled Kokhono Asheni, written and directed by Zahir Raihan, will be screened at 4pm at same the venue.
Zahir Raihan perhaps best known for his documentary Stop Genocide made during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1960, he made his directorial debut with his film Kokhono Asheni, which was released in 1961. In 1964, he made Pakistans first colour movie Sangam, and completed his first CinemaScope movie Bahana the following year. His other popular films include Kancher Deyal, Behula, Anowara and Jibon Theke Neya, among others.
However, Raihan disappeared on 30 January 1972 trying to locate his brother, the famous writer Shahidullah Kaiser, who was captured and killed by the Pakistan army and local collaborators during the final days of the Liberation War. It is believed that he was killed with many others when armed Bihari collaborators and soldiers of Pakistan Army in hiding fired on them when they went to Mirpur, a suburb of the capital city of Dhaka that was one of few strongholds for Pakistani/Bihari collaborators at that time.
