Samar Das: 1929 - 2001

Nothing could be more befitting a commemoration of the late Samar Das than playing the song 'Purbo digante shurjo uthechhe Rokto lal, rokto lal, rokto lal'. For in this song Samar Das composed one of his most heartfelt music, and the song turned into one of those ever inspirational music pieces that always remind us of our glorious victory over tyranny and oppression in 1971.

On September 25 the Samar Das Smriti Sangsad (SDSS) observed the first death anniversary of the music maestro through a seminar at the VIP Lounge of the National Press Club. Dr. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, poet Foyez Ahmed, Shamsul Huda Chowdhury-- one of the founders of the 'Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra' (SBBK), Enayetullah Khan-- Editor of the Weekly Holiday, several distinguished personalities, singers, and Dipika Das-- wife of Das, told their memories of the legendary musician. What marked the most striking similarity among the speakers' opinions was that the merit and contribution of Das had not yet been properly evaluated.

A great music director and producer, Samar Das' contribution was not merely confined in the field of music; the very history of independence of Bangladesh owes much to him. In establishing Bangladesh's music scenario he was the pioneer in the truest sense of the word. For he was the Chief Music Director at the SBBK, and he composed music for more than a hundred songs that were aired from the Betar and inspired the freedom fighters throughout the period of the Liberation War. Later he composed the introduction music of the newly founded Bangladesh Betar after Independence. He was also the music director of the first Bangla 'talkie' feature film Mukh O Mukhosh (The face and the mask) released in 1955. And he was the initiator of orchestration in Bangla music. Samar Das' place in the history of Bangladesh was secured more permanently when, at the direction of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he prepared the 'stave notation' of the national anthem of the country that we now hear being played by the band troop on different national and government occasions.

Samar Das' genius had started to show at the age of sixteen when he had been enlisted as a flautist at the Dhaka Centre of All India Betar in 1945. Later in 1960, he was appointed the Music Producer of Dhaka Betar. Many singers found their way to success and fame under the guidance of this great director. Singer Shahin Samad and BTV newscaster Babul Akhter recalled their experience of working with Das at the SBBK. Singer of the famous Bangla film song 'Tandra hara noyon aamar' in Das' music, Hasina Mumtaz became tearful while reminiscing how lovingly 'Samar-da' would treat her and all others working with him. Singer Shilu Barua and reputed guitarist Didarul Alam also spoke on the occasion. Babul Akhter emotionally lashed his anguish at those who were 'too busy with their personal affairs to come and attend the seminar'. He also urged the SDSS to do something for the neglected artistes of SBBK, many of who are now passing days in misery.

Samar Das's talent had been recognised also at the international level. He directed music at the South Asian International Music Conference in 1954. In 1964 he directed and produced the music for a Bangla ballet-drama Shonar Shabuj Gnaye, performed at the Afro-Asian Music Conference in Lahore. He also led the cultural delegate team of the Pakistan government at the Commonwealth Festival held in London in 1966. He was awarded a gold medal by the Queen Elizabeth11 for his excellence in directing music of a ballet-drama Sons of River at the Festival. Das also delivered through his music for the cause of humanity. In 1970 he organised a cultural programme, 'Kando Bangalee Kando', in order to raise funds for the victims of a terrible flow-tide.

Das's endeavours in preserving songs of the Liberation War period are also remarkable. In 1972 he directed music for a long play album of twenty-six patriotic songs released by the HMV record company of Kolkata. Eminent vocalists from both West Bengal and Bangladesh took part in the remaking of some immortal songs in that album. Later, at the initiative of Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust, Das compiled popular songs of the War period in two LP discs titled Mora Ekti Phulke Banchabo Bole Juddho Kori (We fight to save a flower).

During his lifetime Samar Das received many awards and much honour. But the last days of this great soul passed in much sorrow and pain. He had remained paralysed for more than a year after a stroke. His last wish was to be buried at the Muktijuoddha Cemetery at Mirpur, which did not eventually realise. At that time, an open letter to the then Prime Minister was published in the daily Janakantha, describing the miserable health condition of Das. A selection from the letter was read out at the seminar. The writer of the letter, Shamsul Huda Chowdhury expressed his bitter anguish at the callousness the government had shown about arranging for proper treatment for Das. Chowdhury said that, after the letter had been published, an amount of only one lakh taka was given for Das's treatment.

Even when Samar Das died, a very few government officials, singers, and personalities involved with the TV, Betar and film came to pay a last tribute. Noted playback singer Khurshid Alam mentioned that the Ministry of Culture had declared that Samar would be interred with state dignity, but later it stepped back under the pretext of a 'technical problem'. The 'technical problem' was, however, recognised by all at the seminar as a religious issue: that Samar Das was a Christian. The speakers considered this act of the government as despicable. Poet, and a very close friend of Das, Foyez Ahmed termed the different government ' void of intellect' as to evaluate the intellectual properties and personalities of the country properly.

At the end of the seminar, Rathindranath Ray, convenor of SDSS, declared that the Sangsad had decided to introduce an award, Samar Das Sangeet Padak, from this year. Financed by Das's family, the award consists of an amount of ten thousand taka and a crest of the Sangsad. Three personalities had been selected for the award this year. They are: Shah Ali Sarkar, the first singer of SBBK; Nurun Nahar, the first Muslim female folk singer; and Ustad P C Gomez, who also was a pioneer of Bangla music.

In her speech, Das's wife Dipika Das said that the man always had been behind the screen, and that she herself, even beyond; so she was not capable of any evaluation for Samar Das. In fact, however inadequately Samar Das has been evaluated, his name will ever remain in the history of Bangladesh as long as Bangladesh exists. Whenever and wherever the national Anthem will be played, it will always proclaim the name of Samar Das.

Courtesy:
Harun ur Rashid
& The Daily Star