Mukul, MR Akhtar
Mukul, MR Akhtar (1929-2004) journalist, writer, editor, was born on 9 August 1929 in Chingsapur village under Mohasthangarh of Bogra district. His full name was Mustafa Rawshan Akhtar Mukul. His father s’adat ali akhand (1899-1971) served in police service. He was a noted litterateur named.
Mukul passed the MA examination from Dhaka University in 1951. For his livelihood, he worked in various fields like insurance company, business establishment, advertisement agency, anti-corruption body, etc.
He had to work in civil supply accounts, anti-corruption bureau, and insurance company. Sometimes, he also became actor, house-tutor, manager of business organisation, managing director of advertisement agency, and so on. Sometimes, he involved himself in trading of rice, atta, kerosene, old cars, buses and trucks.
He also did student politics and was held in jail during 1948-49. Inspired by Comrade Arun Ray, he took part in the bachelor’s examination while in jail and passed the exam successfully. He also participated in the language movement.
He was involved in journalism for a long time. He worked in different posts in newspapers within and outside the country, including news agencies. While working as a newsman, he came into close contact with bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman. He could observe him from a close range. He wrote two books on Mujibur Rahman –Mujiber Rakta Lal (1976) and Babgabandhu (1997).
He was an activist with the Mujibnagar government during the War of Liberation, when Mukul used to read out his famous 'Charampatra' over radio on a regular basis. For the present generation and the posterity, 'Charampatra' was a unique history, whose creator and narrator was MR Akhtar Mukul. At that critical juncture, Mukul's 'Charampatra' provided incentive to the people in the War of Liberation. MR Akthar Mukul died in Dhaka on 26 June 2004. [Moni Haider and Muhammad Kabirul Hasan]
