Ganesh Chandra earns a living by selling flutes on the streets of Rajshahi city. Although selling flutes is his livelihood, his life is intertwined with the sound of the flute. He has been doing this work for about 45 years. Once upon a time, passersby would stop to listen to the tune of his flute, but various forms of modern music have taken over that place. Still, Ganesh Chandra believes that the sound of the flute will never get old. That is why he still walks around with that flute.

When asked about his profession, Ganesh Chandra said, "At first, my business was doing well. All the students and teachers of the college used to buy flutes. But now, due to mobile phones, TV and digital media, people's interest in music has decreased.

Ganesh Chandra, a resident of Puthia Upazila of Rajshahi, has three sons. All of them are busy with their own families. He runs his family with his wife Sagari Rani and his family with what he earns.

Ganesh Chandra started selling flutes around Rajshahi College 45 years ago. At that time, the flute was very popular with college students, teachers and local people. ‘When I started, people were very interested in music. Flute was played at various college functions and in student gatherings,’ he recalled.

He has also been selling flutes at Rajshahi University for a long time. Apart from the college and university, he has sold flutes in various places in Bagha, Natore, Bogura Sadar and Santahar.

Ganesh Chandra once said that his flute selling business was very profitable. Students used to buy flutes for their hobby. A kind of musical atmosphere was created. Now that interest has decreased a lot.

He is concerned that people’s interest in traditional arts like flute has decreased due to the advancement of modern technology. He feels that the tradition of music is being lost due to the dominance of smart phones, TV and digital media.

Now he goes out with more than 100 flutes every day, but most days none are sold. Running a business has become a challenge for him as demand has decreased with age.

Ganesh Chandra makes his own flutes. He collects the bamboo needed to make flutes from different places in Dhaka. His flutes cost between Tk. 100 and Tk. 500. His love for flutes was born when he saw his father singing in the atmosphere of his childhood. That love still inspires him to play the flute.

Ganesh Chandra's life is not just a story of his personal struggle; it is a reflection of the crisis of traditional arts due to modernity. The enthusiasm for music that was once present in institutions like Rajshahi College has completely diminished today.

Yet Ganesh Chandra still believes that music will find a place in people's hearts and that his profession will one day find life again. Today, no one may buy flutes, but he believes that one day people will return to tradition.

A crowd of people has gathered to pay tribute to the martyred intellectuals killed by the Al Badr forces on December 14, 1971.

Such a scene of paying tribute was seen at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Memorial in the capital in the early hours of Saturday (December 14).

On this day, in the early hours of the sunrise, President Md. Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus were the first to pay tribute to the intellectuals.

At this time, a mournful tune was played on the bugle. A smart team from the three services paid tribute to the martyrs and provided a guard of honor.

Later, after President Md. Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus paid tribute, the crowd started pouring in. People from all walks of life came in groups under the banners of various parties and organizations to pay tribute.

At this time, leaders and activists of various BNP organizations were also seen chanting various party slogans.

Incidentally, on this day in 1971, knowing that the defeat in the great Liberation War was certain, the occupying Pakistani forces hatched a heinous plot to demoralize the Bengali nation. They killed many people including teachers, scientists, thinkers, writers, journalists, artists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, athletes, and government officials, along with their domestic allies, the Razakars, Al-Badr, and Al-Shams.

Since then, the day has been celebrated as Martyred Intellectuals Day.

Earlier, in a message given on the occasion of 'Martyred Intellectuals Day', President Md. Shahabuddin said that their sacrifice will be worthwhile only if we can build a non-communal, happy, prosperous, and non-discriminatory new Bangladesh based on the spirit of the Liberation War by following the ideals and path of the martyred intellectuals.

Led by the Adviser on Liberation War Affairs, members of the families of martyred intellectuals and the war-wounded and present freedom fighters will pay tribute to the nation's best sons by placing wreaths at the Mirpur Intellectuals Memorial at 7:22 am and at the Rayer Bazar Massacre Memorial at 8:30 am on Saturday (December 14). In addition, people from all walks of life will place wreaths at the Intellectuals Memorial from 8:30 am. Special prayers and offerings will be offered at all mosques, temples, churches, pagodas and other places of worship on the occasion of the day.

The cold-stricken district in the north of the country is Thakurgaon. Winter came first and then set in. The sun has not been seen for the past week. The temperature of 10 degrees Celsius was recorded at 9 am on Friday. The cold has set in in mid-December, disrupting public life. The struggle to cope with the cold has taken the form of a struggle for the helpless and uprooted people of the society. The livelihood of people who have been brought to a standstill by the onset of winter.

To alleviate the suffering of the cold-stricken people, Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Farzana has delivered blankets to the homes of the working-class people at night.

On Friday night, winter clothes were delivered to the students studying in madrasas and working-class people in Madarganj, Hariharpur, Shimultala and Road areas of Rahimanpur union of Sadar upazila of the district.

Madrasa student Abdul Kader said that it has been very cold for the past few days. I had a blanket before, now DC gave me another one. Now I won't feel too cold. She wrapped me in the blanket with love like a mother. It felt like my mother was wrapping me in the blanket. We were very happy.

Sixty-year-old Bilkis Banu had fallen asleep. The Deputy Commissioner came to my home and suddenly wrapped me in the blanket. After receiving the blanket, she said, "I am sleeping." DC suddenly came and gave me the blanket. It has been very cold for days. I can't sleep because of the cold. Today I got a new blanket, I will sleep well. May Allah protect the DC.

Madarganj Madrasa's Muhtamim Maulana Faizur Rahman said that students always have to stay in a sacred state. That's why they have to stir water most of the time for ablution. Today, DC sir gave all the students winter clothes. In this, they can wrap themselves in it and recite the Quran. They can also sleep wrapped up at night.

Rootless Faizul, who was lying at Thakurgaon Road railway station, said, "I was not sleeping due to the extreme cold, when the Deputy Commissioner DC gave me a blanket. Now I will sleep well." Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Israt Farzana said, "The severity of winter is gradually increasing in the district. To ease the suffering of those suffering from the cold, the district administration has been distributing winter clothes for several days. Along with the administration, I am appealing to the wealthy people of the society to come forward."

On the Martyred Intellectuals Day, Chief Adviser to the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has called on everyone to unite and resist any conspiracy of the anti-liberation forces and fulfill their responsibilities from their respective positions.

He made this call in a message given today (December 13) on the occasion of the 'Martyred Intellectuals Day' tomorrow, Saturday (December 14).

Expressing deep respect for the martyred intellectuals and the heroic martyrs of the Liberation War and praying for peace and forgiveness for their departed souls, Professor Muhammad Yunus said, 'Martyred Intellectuals Day is a shameful day in the history of Bangladesh. In the last days of the great liberation war, the Pakistani occupying forces and their allies, knowing that their defeat was certain, brutally killed Bengali intellectuals to demoralize Bangladesh. He said that on the eve of the victory of the Bengali nation, the anti-liberationists brutally killed and disappeared the country's talented children, including educationists, journalists, writers, doctors, scientists, lawyers, artists, engineers, philosophers and political thinkers. Among them were Dhaka University teachers Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury, Munir Chowdhury, Anwar Pasha, Shahidullah Kaiser, Giasuddin, Dr. Fazle Rabbi, Abdul Alim Chowdhury, Sirajuddin Hossain, Selina Parveen, Dr. Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta and many others. Advertisement

The Chief Adviser said that their main objective was to demoralize the Bengali nation, and that the anti-liberationists took the most heinous revenge for the defeat in the great liberation war through this planned brutal massacre.

The Chief Adviser also said that the interim government formed through the mass uprising of students, workers and the public is committed to building a developed, prosperous and well-governed Bangladesh.