Sangram Datta

Rasendra Datta Chowdhury is an honest and brave politician, journalist and cultural activist at Sylhet division in Bangladesh.He was born in a zamindar family in village Nowagoan in Srimangal thana of the then Moulvibazar subdivision ( now district) on 12 April 1940.

His father Jatindra Mohon Datta Chowdhury was a landlord and his mother Bindubasini Datta Chowdhury. His (Jatindra Mohan Datta Chowdhury) ancestral home was at Dattarail village in Dhakadakin of Sylhet district.

He completed his matriculation from Srimangal Victoria High School, HSC and Bachelor of Commerce from Moulvibazar College.

Later, He also completed a B.Ed and joined as a teacher in the Bhairavbazar High School from the start of the school for some years. He was also fond of cultural activities from his childhood.He performed some dramas and cultural functions during the Pakistan era.

He started his politics in the language movement of 1952 and was a distinguished leader of the Student’s Union.

Later, He joined in the National Awami Party ( NAP) formed by great national leader Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bashani in 1957 and made a great contribution to organizing NAP which was known to all for a non communal and left political platform in various areas of Moulvibazar subdivision.

He was known as one of the pioneers in organizing left politics in the then Moulvibazar subdivision.In 1962, He actively took part in the student’s movement against Gen. Ayub Khan.In 1963, He was one of the leaders in the Balishira Hill Movement at Srimangal thana for establishing the rights of the locals.

He was the convener of the election committee of Fathema Zinnah and tortured by the goons of the ruling Muslim League.He made a huge contribution to the movements of 6 point demand and 11 point demand including the mass uprising of 1969.

NAP became the largest opposition party under the leadership of Rasendra Datta and Mohammad Shajahan Miah in the locality.He was the convener of the secret cell of the Communist Party. The other two members were Mohammad Shajahan Miah and Syeed Muyejur Rahman.

On 6 April 1970, He was arrested by Pakistan police as the prime accused in the Joybangla case ( Allegation of Pakistan’s separation) under 60 MLR clause -8(a) of the Martial law act.

Other disparate leaders Mohammad Shajahan Miah of NAP, M.A Rahim ( Former Srimangal Municipality Chairman), founder president of the then local chattra League and another chattra League leader S.A Mujib were also arrested by the police in the same case.

All of the arrested leaders were sent to Moulvibazar jail on the charge of breaking Pakistan which was known to all as the Joybangla case.

On hearing of this news, thousands of workers and supporters of both NAP and Awami League started a mass movement involving general people against the incident of arrests. Later the Pakistani government was compelled to release those popular leaders.

He also acted as an organizer in the liberation war of 1971 of independence.During the liberation war of 1971, He was the joint secretary of the Haflong Camp Coordination Committee in Tripura state of India.
His job was to co-operate with the Indian government, run the camp to motivate the Bengali youths and send them to the war.

After liberation, the concerned authorities of the Indian government also gave him a certificate of honor for keeping much cooperation with the government of India and contributing for the people of Bangladesh.

This case is known to all including NAP chief Professor Mozaffar Ahmed, Begum Matia Chowdhury of the then NAP and local leaders and workers of all political parties.

In order to enlist the names of guerrilla freedom fighters comprising NAP, CPB and student’s union, the learned Supreme Court directed to enlist all the names of 2367 people and provide all facilities of the state. But mistakenly his name wasn’t included in that list. It’s also learnt that the names of many activists and organizers of Liberation War of 1971 weren’t wrongly enlisted.

It’s unpleasant but true that his name hasn’t yet been recognized by the scrutiny committee of Srimangal upazila due to the parochial politics of some members in 2017. The scrutiny members opted for divided opinions in his application and sent the report to the National Freedom Fighters Council in Dhaka.

Later, He appealed to the National Freedom Fighter’s Council on 12 October 2022. But no hearing has yet been held due to reasons unknown. When contacted, The top-ranking leader of the ministry for Freedom Fighters affairs said that he had nothing to do in the appeal prayer of Mr Datta.

In 1972, He joined in the movement of the tea labourers against the torture of the then-ruling Awami League. He came under attacks by the hooligans of all successive governments for making a movement against misrules in ’73, 79, and ’89.

In 1975, He was made secretary of the thana committee of BAKSAL which was formed by the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

After the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975, He was arrested by the Khandaker Mustak government and sent to jail for political reasons. After two years, He was freed by an order of the learned high court following a writ petition filed by the NAP chief Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed.

He along with brave leader Mohammad Shajahan Miah led a movement against Octoy and the government following the movement a case made it null and void in the whole country during the regime of president Ziaur Rahman.

Local businessman Haji Sanjab Ali filed this case for the public interest and noted lawyer Shanti Pada Ghosh conducted it in the court.In 1980, He visited the then Soviet Russia for 45 days on the leaders’ tour program.

In 1983, He was elected chairman of local union Parishad defeating the heavyweight candidate of Awami League.

In 1985, He in his speech demanded to declare Balishira Hill as a reserved forest and the digging of the Gupla River to President Hossain Mohammad Earshad in a meeting with the local representatives of Moulvibazar district. Then Radio Bangladesh broadcast his demands again and again.

He was also a brave journalist who started his journalistic career in the daily Sangbad in 1962 and served for more than four decades. Besides, He wrote various types of news and features in various newspapers during this time.

He was involved in politics for more than six decades from the language movement of 1952.He was imprisoned three times in his life due to political grounds.He is called a symbol of honest, brave, selfless and idealistic left politics and journalism in the region.

He lost his beloved wife Indira Datta Chowdhury on 21 November 2020.He was shocked, fell down and had a mild brain stroke in the dead of night on 31 December 2020. He was undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for a week.

He has three sons and one daughter. This octogenarian non-communal left politician and brave journalist is presently living in sick conditions at his residence in Srimangal town in Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh.