The oppressed's struggle sparks betrayal within me

Mohon Raihan, poet, organizer, and freedom fighter, is renowned for his poetry that reflects love for nature and rebellion. He was born on August 1, 1956, in Diarpachil village in Sirajganj’s Khoksha Bari. He joined the six-point march at the age of 10, unknowingly. He was active fighter  during the uprising of 1969. Such a person was bound to join the liberation war. Without any hesitation, he joined the war effort at 15. In 1976, he enrolled at Dhaka University to study Bengali literature. He was associated with all the contemporary talented poets and writers as a companion. He had been writing poetry since childhood, but now he immersed himself in literary movements. He has not only been a direct witness to many memorable and epic events of independent Bangladesh but has also played a leading role in many cases. He was in the forefront of the anti-autocracy movement. He has been imprisoned several times in his life. At one point, he becoming agitated  with the country's politics and the literary world and withdrew himself. He contributed to healthcare. He is the founder and chairman of the Saul Heart Center. Recently, his life journey, literary spirit, and national sentiment have been discussed in an interview with Views Bangladesh. Kamrul Ahsan and Mahfuz Sardar conducted the interview.

Views Bangladesh: How are you?
Mohon Raihan: I'm alive, what else can I say? Typically, I would say I'm fine. Actually, I'm not fine.

Views Bangladesh: Why aren't you fine?
Mohon Raihan: I'm not fine because people aren't fine. If people can't expect to be well within their country, nature, and environment, then how can people be well?

Views Bangladesh: Your life has been a long struggle. If after so much struggle you say you're not fine, then it's a matter of sadness for us too. Why did this situation arise after so much struggle?
Mohon Raihan: I got involved in politics from my school days. During  my classes at school, I saw a proccession was coming of '66-movement.  I left class and  joined the proccession emediatly.   It wasn't consciously done, but  attracting by the proccession. During the 1969 mass uprising, I was an activist. I've been injured multiple times, faced torture, and have been imprisoned 13 times. I was arrested five times during Ershad's regime. I broke the curfew imposed during Ershad's first martial law. On March 24, 1982, when martial law was imposed, I led the first procession from Madhur Canteen in Dhaka. Nurul Kabir led the second procession.

Views Bangladesh: Journalist Nurul Kabir?
Mohon Raihan: Yes, he's quite a character. I've talked about him in various places, written about him, and maybe I'll talk about him in the future too. I have a desire to write an autobiography.

Views Bangladesh: How did your cultural and political spirit awaken?
Mohon Raihan: It's actually in my blood, inherited from my family. I got it from my family. My father participated Mowlana bhashani's  Khagmari conference . Then Subhas Basu joined the Azad Hind Fauj. During the Pakistan period, he was involved in all the movements and struggles of the Bengalis.

Views Bangladesh: Can you tell us a bit about your father? We know he was the chairman for a long time. Almost 30 years. How has his influence been in your life?
Mohon Raihan: Everything I've got is from my father. He loved people. He thought about the country and the nation. But later, my political opposition started with my father. Many of us who were involved in politics were associated with the Muslim League. My father was too. And I started with Chhatra League. So, I dedicated my first poetry book 'Brave People Rising' to my father. I wrote there, 'My political opponent father, Farhad Hossain.' So, my father resigned from the Muslim League even before the non-cooperation movement. He resigned from the Muslim League. He even got a nomination from the Muslim League in the 1970 election. But when he saw that we were all against the Muslim League and there was a new political consciousness in the country, the Bengalis' movement for autonomy had gained momentum, the wave of the freedom movement had risen, then before the election, he announced at our Eidgah that from today he is no longer with the Muslim League. He joined the side of independence, the side of the boat.

Views Bangladesh: Tell us something about the Liberation War. Your elder brother is also a freedom fighter. How did you both participate in the Liberation War?
Mohan Raihan: My father organized the freedom fighters in our union. He was also in the British Army. He started preparing after Bangabandhu's speech on March 7. He began training the young men. There was a soldier named Sohrab Hossain from the IPR in our union, he was on leave at that time.  My father opend four traing centers along with him. 

Views Bangladesh: When did you both go to war?
Mohan Raihan: My elder brother went first. He got unltimate trainging in Indian. I didn't go to the border.  I formed a guerilla-group with them. 

Views Bangladesh: Due to our limitations, we cannot delve into the details of your long life. If I may briefly ask, when did you first arrive in Dhaka?
Mohan Raihan: I first came to Dhaka in 1972. My brother and I came to Parade Ground to deposit weapons along with other freedom fighters.

Views Bangladesh: When did you first see Bangabandhu?
Mohan Raihan: In 1970. During the 1970 elections, he went to Sirajganj. He was on a launch. We weren't allowed to board the launch, but I managed to get on from behind. I was very mischievous then. Our leader was Amir Hossain bhul. He scolded me. I ran and entered Bangabandhu's cabin. Bangabandhu was sitting there wearing lungi and vest. Seeing everyone scolding me, Bangabandhu came and grabbed me.  I started running again seeing bhulu bhai coming after me. What a dramatic encounter it was!

Views Bangladesh: When you think of Bangabandhu, what first comes to your mind? How do you perceive his entire personality?
Mohan Raihan: Let me tell you an incident. Before the Liberation War,  we produced a t-shirt feauturing Bangabandhu and his election symbol, BOAT.   Below it was written "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu." We all used to put on those t-shirts. When the army came to Sirajganj, my comrades opened those t-shirsts. I said, "Bullets will pierce through here, yet Bangabandhu's name won't be erased."

Views Bangladesh: But you later left Awami League and joined Jasad?
Mohan Raihan: During the Liberation War, when that song played on the radio, "Mujib bhaiya jao re nirjatito desher majhe janaganer naore..." (Brother Mujib, go to the oppressed people amidst the deserted land), I used to cry, soaking my pillow with tears. After 1972, I underwent a transformation. That was a shattered dream for us. We liberated the country for the political and economic freedom of the people. We thought we would write freely, think freely after independence, but when I saw that the hopes, desires, or dreams of the people were not being fulfilled after independence, and a single party was monopolizing everything, then Jasad was formed. I also joined Jasad.

Views Bangladesh: When was your first book published?
Mohan Raihan: In 1978. Jwale Uthi Sahoshi Manush (Brave People Emerge from Flames). Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah, Abid Rahman and Ali Riaz's first books were also published then. The four of us released our books together. Rudra's book of poetry was titled 'Upodruto Upokul',  Ali Riaz's book of essays was titled 'Bangali Jatitabad' (Bengali Nationalism) and Abid Rahman's book was `Muktijudher Galpo' (Story of liberation war) 

Views Bangladesh: Tell us about that time.
Mohan Raihan: It's not possible to sum up that time briefly. It was a different era. Those who are famous in Bengali language and literature today, all gathered in Dhaka at that time. The student movement was intense. At that time, the entire Dhaka University was under our control. Our writing focused on the country, its people, and the struggle. There was always a spirit, a call to do something new.

Views Bangladesh: How was the Bangla Academy Book Fair at that time?
Mohan Raihan: It was very beautiful, colorful and vibrant. Stalls were set up around the pond. There were a couple of tea stalls on the upper floor.  We all young poets and witers used to sit together and chat with  Shamsur Rahman, Al Mahmud, Ahmed Sharif, Syed Shamsul Haque, Ahmed Safa,  Dr. Humayun Azad and Rafique Azad .  At that time, those of us involved in literature were kept in touch by the Bangla Academy for organizing the fair.  we were kept in those committees.

Views Bangladesh: Your poem "Droher Kobita" (Poem of Betrayal) is famous. Why?
Mohan Raihan: The consciousness of betrayal comes from the environment. Seeing the struggle of oppressed people, the consciousness of betrayal awakened within me. Despite being so oppressed, acknowledging the oppression and torture, they still fight. If they don't fight, people won't survive. My life is also a history of struggle. My life is my poetry. I never sat down to write poetry. I wrote what awakened within me.

Views Bangladesh: You've led a very challenging life. You've never bowed down to convenience. In your journey of struggle, what kind of confrontations and setbacks have you faced?
Mohan Raihan: Every moment, within the family, among friends, in the political arena, I've had to fight. I've seen many friends become silent when they get some benefits. I've faced various obstacles within the family too. I used to call my father a bourgeois. My father used to call me a rebel, saying, "Speaking such big words, can't you mend even one small thing?"

Views Bangladesh: Thank you.
Mohan Raihan: Thank you all too.