Colorful Eid celebrations in the days of black and white TV

Our childhood years were indeed uncomplicated yet filled with joy. At that time, there were not many forms of entertainment media available. The only options were Betar and Bangladesh Television (BTV). The television sets were black and white, with screen sizes of 14 inches, 17 inches, and 20 inches. I did not encounter a larger TV set in anyone's home during that period. However, despite watching TV programs in black and white, the experiences were quite vibrant. In the era I am discussing, particularly regarding Eid celebrations on television, there were no color TVs, VCRs, HD TVs, computers, DVDs, or YouTube. There was solely one channel, BTV. Most villages had not yet received electricity. Nevertheless, in our time, Raozan village in Chattogram had electricity. As far as I recall, we began watching TV in 1980.

BTV's broadcasts likely commenced in the afternoon and concluded at midnight. The programming began with the national anthem and ended with the national flag and anthem being displayed. During that time, there were no private television channels in Bangladesh. When it came to television, Bengalis had only one option: BTV. Until the late 1990s, BTV remained the sole television channel in the country.

Thus, from our festivals to our leisure activities, everything revolved around BTV. In our household, we owned a National Panasonic black and white 20-inch television. Every Friday, a significant gathering would occur in our yard around that television. The TV set would be placed outside and turned on. It, along with a wooden box, would be set up in the yard so that the village neighbors could come together and enjoy the experience. During Eid, this joyous occasion would attract even more people.

Conversations with numerous individuals connected to the media and drama reveal that in the mid-1970s, filmmaker Amjad Hossain began crafting dramas for Bangladesh Television, focusing on Eid entertainment, often referred to as laughter dramas. He introduced a character named Jabbar Ali for an Eid drama between 1975 and 1976, which subsequently appeared on television screens in various storylines during Eid. Jabbar Ali achieved significant popularity until the early eighties; however, its appeal waned due to the repetitive nature of the subject matter.

During this period, Humayun Ahmed emerged as a prominent figure. In the black and white era of BTV, Humayun Ahmed became a beloved personality among Bengalis. The middle-class Bengalis found great joy in the presence of Humayun Ahmed, who beautifully represented their joys and sorrows. Particularly, the Eid celebrations of the middle-class Bengalis would not have been complete without Humayun Ahmed. His Eid dramas became an essential part of the Eid festivities, alongside traditional dishes like Polao-Korma, Finni-Semai, and new garments. After a day filled with various social and familial engagements, courtesy visits, feasts, and entertaining guests, Bengalis would gather comfortably in front of their television sets in the evening, eagerly anticipating Humayun's drama.

As evening approached, the streets would quiet down. The sight of Bengalis collectively waiting to watch a Humayun Ahmed TV drama was a common and cherished scene, not just in the capital Dhaka but throughout Bangladesh. Humayun Ahmed's Eid dramas served as a primary source of entertainment for middle-class Bengalis, broadcast on BTV, with the sounds of laughter from families resonating through the open windows of many homes. This phenomenon repeated itself year after year.

In addition to the special Eid drama, a similar scenario unfolded during the airing of any of Humayun's weekly or serial dramas. Not only did his comedic dramas resonate, but his poignant and sorrowful narratives also effortlessly endeared themselves to the Bengali middle class. His inaugural serial drama on BTV, Eisob din ratri, is regarded as a landmark production. The young girl, Tuni, in this drama, is succumbing to cancer, a reality that the audience struggles to accept. They implored playwright Humayun Ahmed to spare the life of the beloved little girl.

However, Humayun remained resolute, ultimately allowing Tuni to perish. Consequently, protests erupted in various locations, with banners proclaiming, 'Why did Tuni die, Humayun Ahmed, we demand an explanation.'

A similar occurrence transpired during the airing of another serial drama by Humayun Ahmed on BTV, Kothou kew nei. In this narrative, the character 'Baker Bhai' faces execution. A procession was organized to prevent Baker Bhai's hanging, and the incident even made headlines in the newspapers. Yet, the unyielding Humayun did not intervene to save Baker's life. For the sake of the drama, Baker was destined to die. Humayun chose to let him go, prioritizing the narrative over the audience's pleas. Such an event has never been witnessed with any other writer-playwright in the annals of TV dramas in Bangladesh.

The characters in Humayun's dramas became a part of our lives. We shared in their joy and could not contain our tears during their sorrow. During Eid, the number of viewers in front of the television set swelled. It was also a delight to view promotional trailers for dramas, films, and magazine programs during this festive time. Additionally, there was an eager anticipation for the popular magazine programs crafted, presented, and directed by the esteemed media figure Hanif Sanket. Many individuals frequently inquired about the airing dates of these programs. Because, ittadi showed the inconsistencies of society as skits through popular actors and actresses, and there were funny dances, songs and humanitarian reports, audience participation episodes, magic - what else.

Ittadi features an episode centered around foreigners. When the characters delivered their lines in an unusual Bengali accent during the drama, the audience would erupt in laughter. In summary, the most entertaining popular magazine shows on television during our era were etc. These programs continue to be produced and aired in vibrant formats.

In addition to dramas and telefilms, other widely appreciated Eid programs included a special segment named Chhayachando, which showcased songs from Bangladeshi films. This program presented a series of popular Bengali film songs from that period, much to the delight of the viewers who enjoyed watching Chhayachando.

Another program that gained immense popularity among the audience during BTV's Eid broadcasts was Bengali cinema. The classic black-and-white films featuring stars such as Nayak Raj Razzak, Shabana, Kabori, Babita, Alamgir, Khalilur Rahman, Anwar Hossain, Golam Mustafa, Zafar Iqbal, Faruk, and Sohel Rana were among the finest films we experienced in our time.

A cherished memory from my childhood also comes to mind. As soon as the Eid moon was visible at the end of Ramadan, that iconic song penned by our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, composed by the esteemed folk artist Abbas Uddin, and performed by Ferdousi Rahman, resonated: Omu ramjaner oi rojar shesh e elo khushir eid was played on our black-and-white television. It was only after this song aired on television that we realized it was Eid. Our hearts would leap with joy, embracing the festive spirit of Eid.

To enhance the joy of Eid, a program named Anandamela was aired on BTV. I recall that the well-known actor and presenter Afzal Hossain once hosted Anandamela. This program featured captivating performances including songs, skits, dramas, dances, and acting. Anandamela was indeed a delightful experience.

BTV's Eid programming also showcased songs performed by distinguished band artists from the country. It was during this program that we enjoyed the mesmerizing performances of Guru Azam Khan, Pilu Momtaz, Fakir Alamgir, Naqib Khan, Ferdous Wahid, Shuvrodev, Tapan Chowdhury, Kumar Bishwajit, Ayub Bachchu, and James. The melodies from that band continue to bring us joy and transport us back to those nostalgic black and white days.

As time passes, we mature. Our black and white television sets are aging. With the passage of time, color televisions are becoming commonplace in every household. We now live in the era of HD TV and YouTube. Yet, 'Have our days truly vanished? Is there nothing left?' Indeed, the pleasure of gathering not only with family but also with the entire neighborhood to enjoy television-friendly entertainment, a joy that characterized the BTV era, is something we wonder if we will ever experience again. Nevertheless, the vibrant Eid celebrations from the black and white television era remain etched in our memories. Those golden days of BTV evoke fond recollections of our happy childhood. Joytu BTV's Eid celebrations.