Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra () was the radio broadcasting centre of Bengali nationalist forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. This station played an important role in the liberation struggle, broadcasting the Declaration of Independence and increasing the morale of Bangladeshis during the genocide. In 1971, radio was the only media reaching the far ends of Bangladesh. The station ran a liberation campaign throughout the liberation war.
Background
The end of British rule in India in August 1947, accompanied by the Partition of India, gave birth to a new country named Pakistan which constituted Muslim-majority areas in the far east and far west of the Indian subcontinent. The Western zone was popularly (and for a period of time, also officially) termed West Pakistan and the Eastern zone (modern-day Bangladesh) was initially termed East Bengal and later, East Pakistan. The two zones were separated by over thousand miles of Indian territory in the middle, and had vastly different cultures. It was widely perceived that the west zone dominated the country, leading to the effective marginalization of the east zone. Growing disenchantment among the people of East Pakistan finally led to civil disobedience followed by the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
During the period of Liberation War of Bangladesh, media supported mass sentiments. They aired patriotic songs and talk shows. In the process of achieving Bangladesh's independence by trouncing the atrocities of the Pakistani military forces, the war-time broadcasting station "Shadheen Bangla Betar Kendra" played a vital role in increasing the morale of Bangladeshis by informing them of how they are advancing towards victory. Shadheen Bangla Betar Kendra reached its pinnacle during the liberation war being acclaimed as the stool pigeon of war news updates through 'Chorom Potro'. In those days when radio was the only media reaching to the far ends of Bangladesh, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra eventually turned as the orator of the Bangladesh government in exile. It ran the nationalist campaign throughout the war in gearing up freedom fighters' morales and also mobilizing world opinion in favor of Bangladesh.
Formation
On 26 March 1971, just the day after the Operation Searchlight crackdown, when the brutal mass carnage by the Pakistani invaders plunged the nation into gloom and despair, at that critical juncture of history a voice was heard over Radio saying "Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendra Theke Ami Major Zia Balchhi". With that broadcast the entire nation got back its confidence, courage of conviction and strong optimism. It was all possible because of the galant initiative taken by three young individuals Dr. Syed Anwar Ali, Engineer Ashikul Islam and Engineer Dilip Chandra Das to start with 10 KW transmitter. Since then, during the whole period of Liberation War, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra successfully carried out its intellectual war like an organized front and aired patriotic songs which greatly inspired the freedom fighters in their relentless fight against the Pakistan-led occupation forces, war news and talk shows to boost up people's spirits. In the afternoon of 26 March 1971 a telegram containing the message of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reached to one Syed Anwar Ali through some students in Chittagong. The message was translated to Bengali by Dr. Syed Anwar Ali's wife Dr. Manjula Anwar. She along with Syed Anwar Ali, Kazi Hosne Ara and two WAPDA engineers Mr. Ashikul Islam and Mr. Dilip Chandra Das in order to broadcast that message decided to cross over the Kalurghat Bridge to reach the local transmission centre controlled by the Bengali soldiers of the 8th East Bengal Regiment under Major Ziaur Rahman. Bengali soldiers guarded the station as engineers prepared for transmission. As contact could not be established between the political leaders Major Ziaur Rahman was requested to broadcast the message. At 7:45pm on 27 March 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman broadcast the message which became historic as the declaration of independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.