Muhammad Al-Helal
In 1998, the host country of the Football World Cup, France, became the champion. That year, Bangladesh time, I had the opportunity to watch part of the final match, except for the Fajr prayer.
I remember that until 2000, Radio Bangladesh used to have a program of Bengali film songs at 1.45 pm. Apart from this, at various times, there was a program called "Ganer Dali" at the request of the centers of Radio Bangladesh, Dhaka, Khulna, Chittagong, Sylhet, etc.
The only television center was Bangladesh Television. After the Friday prayers, the neighborhoods would be bustling with people to watch Bengali films. At that time, maybe 100-200 families in a neighborhood could have one television. Moreover, after the Isha prayers, children, the elderly, men and women would be seen gathering in front of the television to watch Alif Laila.
Pediment, stools, chairs, benches had to be brought from each person's home. Some even brought bamboo poles for catching chickens, ducks, or fish and sat on them. Many people stood and watched the ceremony. Sometimes, some would sit down and allow those who were sitting to stand up.
At that time, the television owner did not have the capacity to arrange for so many people to sit. But there was no shortage of space. Because during such programs, the TV was kept in the courtyard. However, the TV owner would arrange for a few respected people to sit. Among the first people who had TVs in their homes in Rasulpur village of Lohagara upazila of our Narail district, Khokon uncle had the most space in his courtyard. Almost like a football field in the present era.
In those days, electricity was only available in my uncle's house in our village. The television was powered by batteries. The television was turned off during commercials or news. During this break, those who were sitting and watching the program would have the opportunity to go to the estenza or visit. During this break, the people who were standing would look for an opportunity to sit down and relax.
At that time, people used to read books of stories, plays, and novels just like watching dramas and movies on TV. As time goes by, people's habits, tastes, and needs are changing rapidly. At the same time, the habit, needs, and needs of conscious people of watching dramas, movies, or songs on TV are being replaced by news and news-based documentary programs. In the case of books, instead of stories and novels, the demand for national and international news-based documentary books based on true events, including political, economic, social, and Islamic ones, is increasing.
Currently, book fairs are being held across the country, including at the Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka and Suhrawardy Udyan, organized by the state-sponsored Bangla Academy. It is easy to guess from the social media reactions of various people associated with this book fair or related to stories and novels, which type of book demand is increasing or decreasing.
A Facebook post by someone who has written many short stories and novels is instructive in this regard. He posted, "I go to book fairs with so much difficulty, but the state of sales makes me not want to go to book fairs anymore."
In the present era, even though people no longer rush to watch dramas, movies, or songs on TV, they still keep up with news about the country or abroad through Android mobile phones, by watching documentary programs, or by reading written newspapers, magazines, or books.
The increase in the number of news-based TV channels, FM radio, online radio, online news portals, etc. in the country in recent years clearly shows how the demand for factual, news-based, documentary or Islamic creative work is increasing in a country with a Muslim population.
Once upon a time, I myself used to write down when a program would be on the radio or television. But now I don't even know which direction the Football World Cup, Cricket World Cup, or any drama or movie program will go. However, like many people, I also wake up in the morning and try to watch the news headlines of various media outlets online, and the 7 pm TV news in its entirety. Because the 7 pm news usually contains national or international news that happened during the day.
Again, I read the print version of the weekly Sonar Bangla newspaper to know about the events happening in the national or international arena every week. I get the weekly Sonar Bangla newspaper through the post office in my village, courtesy of the authorities. I am grateful to the authorities for this.
People have turned away from fictional stories, plays, novels, etc. and are leaning towards factual or factual news, programs, or books. Therefore, it is important for writers, researchers, and producers to pay attention to the needs of the people in all these creative works, and it is also the demand of the hour to provide state sponsorship for such works.
MPhil Researcher (ABD)
Department of International Relations
Dhaka University
