Artistic depictions of the Bangladesh Liberation War

Bangladesh's national monument, Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, located in Savar, Dhaka, is a tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War

There has been numerous works of art that depicted the Bangladesh Liberation War during and since the War both at Bangladesh and abroad. The concert for Bangladesh organized by members of the Beatles was a major happening in 1971 for protest music. The songs recorded for and broadcast on Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra are still considered to be the best of Bangladeshi protest songs.

The four documentaries made during the War – Zahir Raihan's Stop Genocide and A State Is Born, Babul Chowdhry's Innocent Millions, Alamgir Kabir's Liberation Fighters – are described as the first films made in Bangladesh, as earlier films were all made in Pakistan or India, larger entities that Bangladesh belonged to. Muktir Gaan (Song of Freedom), based on footage shot by Leer Levin during the war, by Tareque and Kathrine Masud is critically the most acclaimed Bangladeshi documentary. The directors followed the film with two sequels – Story of Freedom and Narir Katha. Their feature film on the same subject, Matir Moyna, won the FIPRESCII award at Cannes Film Festival.

There have been numerous poems and novels written on the Liberation war, including Shamsur Rahman's famous poems written during the War. Arguably it is the most often used subject for Bangladeshi literature since 1971. The monuments made to commemorate the War are the highest esteemed monuments in Bangladesh.

Films

• Stop Genocide – documentary by Zahir Raihan (1971)
• Let There be Light by Zahir Raihan (1971)
• Nine Months to Freedom: The Story of Bangladesh – documentary by S. Sukhdev (1972)
• Ora Egaro Jon (11 Warriors) by Chashi Nazrul Islam (1972)
• Raktakto Bangla (The Blood-stained Bengal) by Mamtaj Ali (1972)
• Quiet Flows the river Meghna by Alamgir Kabir (1973)
• Amar Jonmovumi (1973)
• Ami Sadhinota Enechhi by Sagar Lohani (2003)
• Shangram (Struggle), On the basis of Khaled Mosharraf Dairy, by Chashi Nazrul Islam (1973)
• Abar Tora Manush Ho (1974)
• Alor Michhil (1974)
• Arunodoyer Agnishakkhi (Witness of the Sun Rise) by Subhash Dutta (1974)
• Sangram (1974)
• Megher Onek Rang (Clouds have Many Shades) by Harunur Rashid Mathin (1976)
• Kolmilata by Shahidul alam Khan (1981)
• Chitkar (1982)
• Agami by Morshedul Islam (1984)
• Hulia by Tanvir Mokammel, On the basis of Nirmalendu Goon's Hulia poem (1985)
• Protyaborton (1986)
• Suchona by Morshedul Islam (1988)
• Charpotro (1988)
• Bokhate (1989)
• Duronto (1989)
• Potaka (1989)
• Nodir Naam Modhumoti by Tanvir Mokammel (1990)
• Kalo Chil '71 (1990)
• Dushor Jatra (1992)
• Ekattorer Jishu (Jesus '71) – feature film by Nasiruddin Yousuff, based on Shahriar Kabir's story (1993)
• Desh Premik (1994)
• Muktir Gaan (Song of Freedom) (1995), Story of Freedom (1999) and Narir Katha – three different Bengali documentaries by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud
• Aguner Poroshmoni – feature film by Humayun Ahmed (1995)
• Ekhono Onek Raat (1997)
• Hangor Nodi Grenade, On the basis of Selina Hossain's novel, Chashi Nazrul Islam (1997)
• Gourob (1998)
• Chana O Muktijuddo (1998)
• Ekattorer Lash (1998)
• Itihas Kanna by Shamim AKter, Biography of a war child (1999)
• Shovoner Ekattor (2000)
• Muktijoddo O Jibon (2000)
• Shei Rater Kotha Bolte Eshechi ("I Have Come to Speak of That Night") – documentary by Kawsar Chowdhury (2001)
• Ekjon Muktijodda (2001)
• Ekattorer Michil by Kabori Sarwar (2001)
• Ekattorer Rong Pencil by Manan Hira (2001)
• Matir Moina directed by Tareque Masud, (2002) – winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
• Shilalipi by Shamim Akter, According to the Biography of Selina Parvin (2002)
• Hridoyghata (2002)
• Spartacus '71
• Shorot '71 by Morshedul Islam (2002)
• Joyjatra (Journey to Victory) – feature film by Tauquir Ahmed, (2004)
• Megher Pore Megh by Chashi Nazrul Islam (2004)
• Dhrubotara (2006)
• Swadinota by Yasmin Kabir (2006)
• Shyamol Chhaya – feature film by Humayun Ahmed, (2006)
• Khelagor by Morshedul Islam, (2006)
• Asttitey Amar Desh, According to the Biography of Matiur Rahman directed by Khijir Hayat Khan (2007)
• Nishongo Sarati (Tajuddin Ahmad : An Unsung Hero) by Tanvir Mokammel, According to the Biography of Tajuddin Ahmad (2007)
• Rabeya by Tanvir Mokammel, (2009)
• Meherjaan by Rubaiyat Hossain (2011)
• Guerrilla by Nasiruddin Yousuff (2011)
• Khondo Golpo '71 (2011)
• Amar Bondhu Rashed by Morshedul Islam (2011) based on a juvenile novel by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal
• Pita - The Father by Masud Akando (2012)
• The War Crimes File by David Bergman (Three men's role in Bangladesh war genocide) (2013)
• Dateline Bangladesh by Gita Mehta (2013)
• Nekabborer Mohaproyan directed by Masud Pathik, based on a poetry by Nirmalendu Goon (2014)
• Shongram (2014)
• Children of War (2014) Indian Hindi film based on Bangladesh Liberation war
• Angels of Hell by Shameem Shahid (2015); Short film based on war children of Bangladesh Liberation War
• Bhuban Majhi by Fakhrul Arefeen Khan (2017)
• Romeo Akbar Walter, Indian movie based on the life of Agent Ravindra Kaushik

Plays

• Payer Awaj Pawa jay by Syed Shamsul Haque (1976)
• Juddho Ebong Juddho by Syed Shamsul Haque (1986)
• Joyjoyonti by Mamunur Rashid (1995)
• Ekattorer Pala by Nasiruddin Yousuff Bacchu (1993)
• Mukhosh
• Kingsukh
• Je Merute
• Bibisab by Abdullah al Mamun (1994)
• Kotha '71
• Bolod by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal

Literature

• Ami Birangana Bolchi (The Voices of War Heroines) – first-person narratives collected by Nilima Ibrahim (two volumes: 1994, 1995)
• Ekatture Uttar Ronangaon ('71 Northern Front) – Factual War Accounts (in Bengali) by Muhammad Hamidullah Khan, Sector Commander 11, War of Independence – Bangladesh
• Amar Bondhu Rashed (My Friend Rashed) - Juvenile novel by Muhammed Zafar Iqbal
• Ghum Nei (Sleepless Nights) – memoir by Nasiruddin Yusuf
• Ami Bijoy Dekhechi (I have witnessed the Victory) – memoir by M. R. Akhtar Mukul
• A Tale of Millions – memoir by Major (R) Rafik Ul Islam
• Ekattorer Dinguli (Days of 71) – memoir by Jahanara Imam (1986) ISBN 984-480-000-5
• Maa(The Mother) – novel by Anisul Hoque (2003) ISBN 984-458-422-1
• Jochhna o Janani'r Galpo (The Tale of Moonlight and the Motherland) – novel by Humayun Ahmed (2004) ISBN 984-8682-76-7
• Of Blood and Fire –
• September on Jessore Road – poem by Allen Ginsberg
• A Golden Age – novel by Tahmima Anam
• Aguner Poroshmoni - novel by Humayun Ahmed
• 1971 - novel by Humayun Ahmed
• Of Martyrs and Marigolds - a novel written by a Stranded Pakistani woman, Aquila Ismail.

Music

• The Concert for Bangladesh, New York, 1971
• Song for Bangladesh – song by Joan Baez
• Bangla Desh – song by George Harrison

Sculpture and Architecture

• Sucker'wfp21 war project created by artist Firoz Mahmud which first exhibited at Aichi Triennial 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and other venues and cities including University Art Museum Tokyo and collaborating with Liberation War Museum and EMK Center in Dhaka.
• Jatiyo Smriti Soudho (National Monument for Remembrance) in Savar, Dhaka
• Swadhinata Stambha (Independence Monument) in Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka
• Aparajeyo Bangla (Invincible Bengal) – sculpture in Dhaka University
• Shabash Bangladesh (Bravo, Bangladesh) – sculpture in Rajshahi University
• Shoparjito Shadhinota (Self Achieved Freedom) – sculpture in Dhaka University
• Joy Bangla (Hail Bengal) - sculpture in Chittagong University
• Juddho Joy - sculpture in Alekhar Char, Cumilla
• Shadhinota Smriti Mural (Independence Memorial Mural) - mural in Chittagong University

Museums

• Liberation War Museum, Dhaka
• Shahid Smriti Sangrohoshala (Martyr Memorial Museum), Rajshahi

Digital Archive

• Muktijuddho e-Archive

Videogames

• Amar Ei Desh
• Arunodoyer Agnishikha
• Heroes of 71
• Sector 71

See also

• Artistic depictions of the Bengali Language Movement