Bangladesh Liberation War: Plaque installed in Kolkata Press Club in memory of journalists Dipak Banerjee, Surajit Ghosal

The function was also held to mark the golden jubilee of Bangladesh founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech at Brigade Parade ground here just after the liberation of  Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Information minister Dr. Hasan  Mahmud unveiled the plaque.

Dipak Banerjee, a sub-editor in Amrita Bazar Patrika, after completing Masters in English from Calcutta University, did post graduation in journalism at the same university in late ‘60s while  Surajit Ghosal was a trainee journalist with Hindusthan Standard. He had studied journalism in the same university.

During the freedom struggle in Bangladesh when millions of people from the then East Pakistan fled that country and were taking shelters in refugee camps in Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura, Dipak and Surajit  decided to go their on their own for doing on the spot coverage of  the events and attrocities unleashed by the Pakistani soldiers there.  

They  crossed the border and reached Dhaka via Khulna  and then went to Comilla before coming to Agartala in India.  

From Agartala, the duo again entered Comilla to return to Kolkata via Dhaka.

After they left entered Comilla from Agartala they could not be contacted any more.  

According to available reports, they were caught by Rajakars ( a pro-Pakistani group in east Pakistan ).

Though there is no official confirmation, it has been reported that the Rajakars handed them over to Pakistani soldiers who killed tham .

President of Press Club Snehasish Sur in his welcome address mentioned that though there was no effort from any quarter so far to let people know about this daring duo, the present committee of Press Club Kolkata decided to install a plaque in memory of Dipak Banerjee and Surajit Ghosal so that  future generations would know about their unique and daring venture.

He also thanked Dr. Mahmud for being present at this nostalgic function.

The Press Club president also requested Bangladesh Information Minister to include names of  Dipak and Surajit  in Bangladesh government’s official list of Journalists who died while covering news during their freedom struggle.  

Unveiling the plaque at the club premises, Dr. Mahmud paid his tributes to Dipak and Surajit for their efforts in bringing out the  attrocities incurred by Pakistani soldiers on Banglades people during their freedom movement.

He also remembered with gratitude India’s help to their freedom movement.

Speaking on the occasion, Manik Banerjee, a close associate of the duo who studied  journalism at the same class with Dipak, highlighted the various activities in which they were involved as a student of journalism.  

Besside organising seminer and  study tour, they were also at the forefront of  a movement of journalism students during that time which resulted in changing the journalism course of Calcutta University from a Diploma course to Master degree (MA).  

Stating the occasion as a very emotional one, Manik Banerjee conveyed his heartfelt thanks to Press Club Kolkata for  remembering the fine efforts of Dipak  and Surajit and  setting up plaque in their memory.

Secretary of  Press Club Kolkata Kingshuk Pramanik  thanked  Dr. Mahmud and other delegates who  came  to attend this function , informed the  club would also  installed plaques in memory of  Swami Vivekananada and  Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose soon.

(Images by Rudra Narayan Srimani)