The 1971 Liberation War has inspired cultural activists from different genres in Bangladesh. Hundreds of songs, poems, books, and films have been written or made on different aspects of the war. Yet, it seems that an even bigger part of the war remains undocumented in popular culture. This is partly because of the genocide on December 14, 1971, just two days before the country got Independence. The Pakistani Army systematically murdered the vast intellectual class of the then East Pakistan when they got the hint of an impending defeat.

That posed a problem in detailing different aspects of the war, as the intellectuals who experienced those were murdered.
When it comes to expressing the spirit of Liberation War through music, several songs have helped created Bangladesh’s national identity. Some songs created during the war acted as a potent weapon to reinvigorate the freedom fighters with their powerful lyrics. They have become timeless classics now.
The songs that were broadcast from the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra—a secret radio station during the war—became an invaluable instrument of inspiration during the war. The first name associated with such songs that comes to mind is Govinda Haldar. Kamal Lohani, the editor of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, was looking for songs with poignant lyrics. He found these aplenty in two diaries of Halder titled ‘Joy Banglar Gaan’.
All his lyrics had rhythm and went with the spirit of the war. With the help of legendary composer Apel Mahmud, Halder created songs like ‘Mora ekti phul ke bachabo bole juddho kori’. Another legendary composer set to music Halder’s ‘Purbo digonte shurjo utheche’. Later, Halder penned another masterpiece, ‘Ek sagor o rokter binimoye’, which was also set to music by Apel Mahmud.
Besides songs, various poems on the Liberation War have enriched Bangladesh’s popular culture. The most prominent ones were penned by Shamsur Rahman. He has written classics like ‘Asader shirt’, ‘Swadhinota tumi’ and ‘Tumi ashbe bole hey swadhinota’. Almost all the poems Rahman wrote on the Liberation War later became part of school textbooks.
Apart from Rahman, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury wrote ‘Amar dukhini bornomala’, Asad Chowdhury wrote ‘Shahid-der proti’ and Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal wrote ‘Chhobi’, in which he depicted post-war Bangladesh as a painting, with human skulls as its theme.
Maverick poet Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah wrote ‘Concentration camp’, in which he sketched the brutalities of the Pakistani military camps with his words. He also wrote a powerful poem like ‘Batashe lasher gondho’. Another legendary poet, Nirmolendu Gun, wrote a masterpiece like ‘Hulia’ on the Liberation War, which also inspired later generations to start protesting against the autocratic rule of the government of the 1990s.
Lots of movies have also been made on the war, mostly by directors of the post-war generation. The first names that come to mind are ‘Let There Be Light’ and the acclaimed documentary ‘Stop Genocide’ by legendary filmmaker Zahir Raihan. Raihan mysteriously disappeared after the war. Many people linked his disappearance to the mass killings of intellectuals on December 14.
Chashi Nazrul Islam made ‘Ora egaro jon’, ‘Shongram’, ‘Megher Pore Megh’, and ‘Hangor Nodi Grenade’. Shubash Datta made ‘Arunodoyer Ognishakkhi’, Tanveer Mokammel made ‘Nodir naam Modhumoti’, and Toukir Ahmed made ‘Joy Jatra’.
Some of the films were made from classic books. The name that tops this category is that of the most popular writer of the country, Humayun Ahmed. Ahmed wrote his classic ‘Aguner Poroshmoni’ on the war and later made a film based on the book. The film got several awards at home as well as abroad. Later, Ahmed also made another movie named ‘Shyamol Chhaya’ from his own book with the same title.
Humayun’s brother Muhammad Zafar Iqbal wrote the most famous children’s book on the liberation war, titled ‘Amar Bondhu Rashed’. Acclaimed filmmaker Morshedul Islam later made a film on that. Another famous book by writer Sayed Shamsul Haq titled ‘Nishiddho Labon’ was turned into the film ‘Guerrilla’ by freedom fighter and filmmaker Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bacchu. Yusuf had earlier made a film on Shahariar Kabir’s book ‘Ekattorer Jishu’.
Apart from the books that were turned into movies, some of the best literary works on the Liberation War include ‘Jochhna o Jononir Golpo’ by Humayun Ahmed, ‘Ekattorer Dinguli’ by Jahanar Imam, ‘Maa’ by Anisul Haque, and ‘Ami Virangana Bolchi’ by Nilima Ibrahim.
Perhaps the most critically acclaimed literary work on the Liberation War was written by Akhtaruzzaman Ilias. Many critics consider his ‘Chilekothar Sepai’ as the best book ever written on the Liberation War. The book details the psychological journey of a man during the turbulent period just prior to Independence in 1971. This novel also contains what is arguably the most authentic description of life in the old and distinctive part of Dhaka.