Film Festival for Retrieval the Spirit of 1971 Liberation of Bangladesh – By Dr Ajoy Kar
After releasing an online special supplement on William A.S. Ouderland Birprotik, the Ouderland Memorial Committee (OMC) is going to organise a Bangladesh liberation war film festival, from February to April 2012, in all major cities in Australia to retrieve the spirit of liberation of Bangladesh. The first film of the festival will be screened in February 2012 in Canberra.
On the occasion of Bangladesh’s 40th Victory Day celebration, OMC’s supplement on Ouderland (https://priyoaustralia.com.au/specialissues/) has officially been opened by His Excellency LtGen Masud Uddin Chowdhury, the High Commissioner for Bangladesh High Commission in a function organised in Bangladesh High Commission on 28 December 2011. In his speech, the High Commissioner informed the audience that Bangladesh High Commission has established the ‘Ouderland Memorial Library’ in early 2001 to commemorate his sacrifice towards Bangladesh’s liberation. He praised the ‘Ouderland Special Supplement’ which contains the articles on liberation war memories of Freedom Fighters, Journalists, Diplomats and Politicians. It has been considered a rare piece of liberation war information by many readers around the world.
Mr Ouderland, a Dutch-Australian, who planned and directed a number of guerilla operations in Dhaka, and provided Mukti Bahini (Freedom Fighter) with food, medicine and shelter during Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971. Mr Ouderland was the only foreigner who received the Gallantry award titled ‘Briprotik’.
Dr Ajoy Kar welcomed all members attending the function which was later addressed by Dr Mohammad Alauddin from Queensland, Mr Abid Rahman from Victoria, Mr Clayton Mcdonald, Dr Ezaz Al Mamun and Dr Ashif Rahim from Canberra. The function was chaired by Freedom Fighter Kamrul Ahsan Khan, Convener of Ouderland Memorial Committee. The function was followed by Film Show ‘Stop Genocide’ by Late Zahir Raihan and ‘Muktir Gan’ by Late Tareq Masud.
To run the film show nation wide, Mr Khan declared a national ‘Film Festival Committee’ headed by Dr Ashif Rahim. Members of the committee by states are:
Adelaide: Dr Mahmud Hassan, Dr Nakibul Islam, Mrs Nadera Sultana (Nodi) and Dr Raqibul Islam
Brisbane: Dr Mohammad Alauddin, Dr Rafiul Alam and Dr Zerrin Khan
Canberra: Dr Ajoy Kar, Dr Ashif Rahim, Mr Clayton Mcdonald, Mr Enamul Bhuiyan (Mukul), Dr Ezaz Al Mamun (Happy), Mrs Jenifer Raad, Dr Kamal Uddin, Mr Kamrul Ahsan Khan, Mr Muhith Masih (Babu), Mr Newton Muhuri, Mrs Nandita Dutta, Mr Nazrul Islam, Dr Parag Das, Eng Rashedul Alam, Mr Suman Das, and Mr Sahadat Manik
Melbourne: Mr Abid Rahman, Dr Mamun Hasan, Mr Manzur Morshed, Dr Shuvo Sharif, Dr Sharif Al Saber, Mr Sabbir and Dr Tazul Islam
Perth: Dr Abul Hasem, Dr Mokhdum Azam Mushrafi, Dr Nazrul Islam and Engr Sabiul Khan
Sydney: Dr Abul Hasnat Milton, Mr Abdul Matin, Dr Ahsan Ullah, Dr Arabinda Saha, Mr Anisur Rahman, Miss Eliza Ahmed, Mr Faisal Khaled (Shuvo), Mr Golam Mostafa, Mr Probir Maitra, Mr Sirajul Salekin, Mr Zahid Hasan, and Mr Mahbub Chowdhury
