Bipul Bhattacharya was among those who worked to “inspire” the nation during the war. He was the lead vocalist of the troupe “Bangladesh Mukti Shangrami Shilpi Shangstha,” led by noted Tagore exponent Sanjida Khatun. The troupe’s main intention was to raise funds for the guerrillas and alleviate the misery of the countless refugees who lived in camps set up in India.
He led choruses of a huge number of songs that boosted the spirit of the freedom fighters of the Liberation War. Such songs include: “Nao Chhariya Dey Paal Uraiya Dey,” “Shonen Shonen Bhai Shobey Satyo E Je Ghotona,” “Bolo Bolo Rey Bolo Shobey Bolo Rey Bangalir Joy,” “Ei Na Bangladasher Gaan Gaitey Rey Amar Dukkhey Poran Kandey,” “O Rey Bishom Doirar Dheu” and many more.
The troupe’s journey was documented on film by American filmmaker Lear Levin. Twenty-five years later, Tareque and Catherine Masud recovered the footage from Levin’s basement and used it in their award-winning Film “Muktir Gaan.”
Bipul Bhattacharya won the first place in folk music category in all Pakistan Music Competition in 1970. Later, he led a musical organisation called “Mallika Sangeet Shamaroho.”
Reputed folk singer Fakir Alamgir express regret at the loss: “He was not only a great artist but was also an unusually kind person at heart. His contribution to the country is monumental, this is a loss for the entire nation and also for the folk music scenario of the country. It feels me with great sorrow when I think about the fact that Bipul is not amongst us anymore.”
His former team-mate Shaheen Samad, a featured artiste of “Bangladesh Mukti Shangrami Shilpi Shangstha,” expressed grave sorrow as a reaction of her peer’s death. “He was a friend and also a teacher to me. We shared the most important period of our lives. That period—sometime thrilling, sometime horrific and sometime sacrificing— made a bondage among us which can’t be defined in words.”
Eminent folk artiste and president of Bangladesh Loko Sangeet Parishad Indramahon Rajbansh said, “Bipul did not get his due respect. His contribution to the music arena and also as a ‘shabda shainik’ in the Liberation War is immense. But the new generation hardly knows him. His songs were not been archived in an organised manner and did not get due coverage in the TV and radio media.”
