The High Court ordered the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the distorted re-composition of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s timeless song “Karar Oi Louho Kopat” from all online platforms, including Facebook and YouTube.
The court also issued a ruling directing BTRC to remove the song from all online platforms for six months.
After the hearing of the writ in this regard, the High Court bench consisting of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil gave the order on Tuesday.
On December 6, a writ petition was filed to remove the Oscar-winning Indian music director AR Rahman’s rendition of Kazi Nazrul Islam's iconic song "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" in the Bollywood film “Pippa” from all online platforms by Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir on behalf of the Law and Live Foundation Trust and 10 lawyers of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.
On November 19, a legal notice was sent for the removal of the song, naming the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, ICT Division, secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and the Kabi Nazrul Institute as defendants.
Kazi Nazrul Islam composed "Karar Oi Louho Kopat" in protest of the arrest of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das by the British government.
The song was published in the book "Bhangar Gaan" in 1924. Immediately after its publication, on November 11, 1924, the British government banned "Bhangar Gaan." Later, after India's independence, "Bhangar Gaan" was republished.
In 1949, music director Kalipada Sen recorded the song for the film "Chattagram Astraghar Lunthan" directed by Nirmal Chowdhury, with Girin Chakraborty and his co-artists. The song was also used in Zahir Raihan's film "Jibon Theke Neya" in 1969-70.
