March 7 microphone, amp remain unpreserved

Call-Ready – a microphone and sound service company – was used by Bangabandhu during his historical speech on March 7, 1971, in Race Course Maidan (Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka.

While Bangabandhu was addressing seven crore people of Bangladesh, the name "Call-Ready" engraved in black and white became riveted in our unconscious along with the speech.

Call-Ready founder Dayal Ghosh and his brother Haripad Ghosh installed 150 microphones at the dark of night in Ramna Race Course defying all the possible dangers.

Starting as Arzo Light House in 1948 in Old Dhaka, the company has given voice to all the major events in 1952, 1954, 1966, 1970 and 1971. Arzo Light House became Call-Ready in 1949.

However, the company is being forgotten gradually, said Trinath Ghosh Sagar, the director of the company adding the company has not yet received any formal recognition in the form of any award and there is no initiative from the government to preserve this equipment of historical significance.

The Pakistani force destroyed their home and office. During the crackdown on March 25-26, 1971 they hid the microphones and amplifiers to a relative's house.

His father and uncle managed to save them anyhow. However, there is no initiative to preserve the equipment either.

"We are still preserving those as they have a historical significance but we are not sure for how long we will be able to preserve those. The government should preserve these in Liberation War Museum.

No government has not taken any step to preserve this equipment. I think this message has not been conveyed properly to the prime minister," said Sagar.

Call-Ready served in a time when uncertainty was hovering over the air of Bangla. Being exploited by West Pakistan, the people of Bangladesh were eagerly waiting to hear from Bangabandhu about what they should do.

In 1971, there was no social media, multiple television channels, and even not so many sound services. Even, the existing ones neither had the capacity nor the courage to serve Bangabandhu as the country was still under the grip of Pakistani rulers.

When Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked Call-Ready to provide the sound system for March 7, the company agreed.

"Patriotism led my family performing the moral duty despite risk factors," said Sagar.

Gradually, Dayal Ghosh and Haripada Ghosh became Bangabandhu's dear ones. They provided microphones when the father of the nation returned to Bangladesh on January 10, 1972.

The name became inseparable from Awami league and Bangabandhu. As a result, they had to pay a high price after his death in 1975. After experiencing years of depression in business, they started again providing microphones to Awami League after Sheikh Hasina's return to Bangladesh in 1981. The company still serve Awami League with their sound system in various occasion.

Four sons of Haripada Ghosh are now looking after their family business. His brother Bishwanath Ghosh is the managing director. Two other brothers Shibnath Ghosh and Shambhunath Ghosh are also involved in the business.