Popular Bangladeshi musician Asif Akbar, recently jailed in a case filed by contemporary lyricist, composer and singer Shafiq Tuhin, took to Facebook on Friday and described his experience in prison.
“It is impossible to cook kachchi biriyani in a jail, but we found something similar to that [in prison] and had a party. You can meet with visitors until the gates are locked in the afternoon,” he wrote in his status. “Then it’s just chatting with other inmates. I developed a good relationship with them by roaming around the jail. Inmates who had been in jail for a long time wer very hopeful about my bail. I was thinking about the last 20 years of regular hard work and these relaxing couple of days without any mobile phones or appointments or whatsoever. Talking, singing and playing ludo were the only things to do there. We were sleeping in a cell like good children. I received an extra table for their generosity towards me.
“Taking Mahbub’s advice, I took a shower in the middle of the night – and caught a cold. I then got ready to sleep. There weren’t many mosquitoes, just the humid weather. I asked Shohag who shared the bed next to mine if any mosquitoes bit him or not. He replied: 'Nope. All the mosquitos got bail.'
“Later on, the news of my bail arrived. I didn’t feel happy about it and everyone felt sad. I was trying to spend the rest of the time goofing around with everyone else. Everyone was sad that I was leaving them, yet they were happy at the same time that I finally received bail and was walking free. It was hard saying goodbye. We became very close in those few days. The whole room went silent. Some were packing my bag and no one was looking at me in the eye.
“Before all this, I announced to form a committee of Bangladesh Kara Party. We decided that we would meet each other when we all leave jail. I promised we would host a concert whenever we get permission.
“I left in the same clothes that I arrived in at the prison. When someone asked, I replied that like a tiger, I follow the same path while leaving as arriving. I was overwhelmed a little this time, being showered with all the love I received from these people.
“There was sadness inside the jail when my loved ones rejoiced outside. My heart was still there; I was prisoner number 25027. I will return.
“I just wasn’t feeling any joy. I felt like the sky inside the prison was huge, and every moment I felt I had to return to the free yet the machine like concrete prison of urban life. But Ohona and Odhora were waiting for me. Thank you everyone and love for you all. Eid Mubarak.” he wrote.
Asif received bail on June 11. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury passed the order when Asif’s lawyer filed a bail petition with the court.
He was detained from his studio in the FDC area in Dhaka on June 6.
According to the first information report (FIR), Tuhin, through an investigative report aired by a private television channel on June 1, had learnt that Asif breached his trust by selling around 617 songs that Tuhin claims belong to him and many other musicians.
