Who is Shafik Rehman?

Trained as an accountant in the UK, Rehman had left Bangladesh with a degree in Economics from Dhaka University to return in 1968. This film afficionado is also credited with popularising the romantic aspect of Valentine’s Day in Bangladesh. Shafik Rehman was born in Bogra on November 11, 1934, to Syeed Rahman, an eminent professor of his time. After having worked as an accountant in the UK, Japan, Middle East and Bangladesh, Rehman began his stint as an editor when he was 50 and went on to become the chief editor of the Daily Jaijaidin (a successor of the erstwhile weekly) but was forced to leave his post for opposing the military controlled regime of 2007-08. Rehman has long been an anchor of an old TV show on the state run BTV called ‘Lal Golap’ (Red Rose). Shafik Rehman had gone back to the UK to work under Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury gathering support for Bangladeshi forces during the 1971 Liberation War. He founded, edited and published the weekly Jai Jai Din in 1984. This slim magazine, that spawned several more of the same kind, was eventually banned by the military dictator. Shafik Rehman left Bangladesh and lived abroad for several more years. The magazine, however, began publishing again in 1991 during the democratically elected regime of BNP. The weekly was turned into a daily newspaper in 2006. Rehman was made to leave in 2008, perceivably for his stance against the military-controlled regime of the time. He then founded and published another weekly, ‘Mouchakay Dheel’ (roughly translating to poking the beehive). Shafik Rehman is also credited with getting a street in Tejgaon Industrial Area, on which the Daily Jai Jai Din has its offices, named as ‘Love Road’. Shafik Rehman founded the Academy Film Society in Bangladesh which has a collection of nearly 10,000 movies (in dvds). He has also authored ‘Torture in Bangladesh’ based on research. The Daily Jai Jai Din offices had a café named after Ernesto Guevara de la Serna. It was called Ché Café. The offices also housed a small auditorium where he encouraged his crew to watch movies. It was called ‘Hitchcock Theatre’. Apparently apolitical up to a point, Shafik Rehman clearly showed sympathies for BNP, which happens to be the main political opposition at the moment. He has advocated the BNP’s causes in his columns, even calling upon his readers to vote for the party. Rehman is also known to have acted as a speechwriter and adviser for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. He is widely perceived to be part of BNP's intellectual powerhouse and a significant player in party politics although Rehman holds no formal position yet.