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Call Ready

Coordinates: 23°42′27″N 90°25′04″E / 23.7075°N 90.4177°E / 23.7075; 90.4177
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Call Ready
কল-রেডী
PredecessorArju Light house
Formation1948
FounderHaripad Ghosh
Dayal Ghosh
Founded atDhaka, Bangladesh
TypeMicrophone service
Coordinates23°42′27″N 90°25′04″E / 23.7075°N 90.4177°E / 23.7075; 90.4177

Call-Ready (Bengali: কল-রেডী) is a traditional microphone service provider in Bangladesh.[1][2][3][4][5] Before the independence of Bangladesh, this microphone service was frequently used in various movements in East Pakistan.[4][6] The notable events where the service was used, the Bengali language movement in 1952, 1954 East Bengali legislative election, the Six point movement in 1966, 1969 Mass uprising, 1970 Pakistani general election and 7 March Speech of Bangabandhu.[7][4][8][9][10]

In addition to political events involving Bangladeshi politicians, Call-Ready was also used at events featuring foreign heads of state. Notable figures who spoke through Call-Ready microphones include Indira Gandhi, Yasser Arafat, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Pranab Mukherjee, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Traditionally, the Awami League and other political parties in Bangladesh have frequently used Call-Ready.[11]

History

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In 1948, two brothers, Haripada Ghosh and Doyal Ghosh, started a shop named 'Arju Light House' in Sutrapur, Dhaka. Initially, they rented out gramophones and provided lighting services for various events. At first, they imported a few microphones from India and made some hand microphones themselves to rent out for events and gatherings. As demand grew, they began importing microphones from countries like China, Taiwan, and Japan.[12]

Around the same time, the demand for microphones increased due to the growing protests and rallies demanding language rights. The name 'Call-Ready' was chosen for their microphone service. It was based on the idea that "if someone calls (calls them), their organization should always be ready (prepared)." Thus, the name Call-Ready was coined from this thought. By 1954, the number of employees at the microphone service established by the two brothers had surpassed 20.[13][14]

7th March Speech

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Main article: 7 March Speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

On 7th March 1971, at the then Racecourse Ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka, on the eve of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his historic speech. In late October 2017, this speech was recognized as a "Documentary Heritage" by UNESCO.[15] Call-Ready microphones were used during the 7th March Speech.[16]

Before the 7th March speech, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman summoned Haripada Ghosh and Doyal Ghosh to his residence in Dhanmondi, asking them to prepare microphones at the Racecourse Ground. Three days before the rally, they set up the microphones under the cover of darkness and kept them concealed. They also stored some microphones at Dhaka University. The microphone and microphone stand used during the 7th March speech are currently preserved by Call-Ready.[17][18]

References

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  1. ^ Chowdhury, Moinul Hoque. "The Call Ready microphone that witnessed history". bdnews24.com.
  2. ^ "History amplified: The Call-Ready story". Dhaka Tribune. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  3. ^ 'দেশ স্বাধীন হওয়ার পর অন্য কেউ সেই মাইক্রোফোনে ভাষণ দেননি'. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "The History of a Microphone: Call-Ready". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 7 March 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. ^ Aref, Alauddin (22 April 2015). "Drought in the Microphone Business". Daily Jugantor (in Bengali). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  6. ^ Debnath, Sebika (7 March 2018). "The Microphone That Called for the Liberation War". Daily Sangbad (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  7. ^ স্বাধীনতার সাক্ষী কল-রেডী. RTV (in Bengali). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  8. ^ Ahmed, Mosabbir (25 November 2016). "Call-Ready and Taher". Bonik Barta (in Bengali). Retrieved 19 November 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ Ahmed, Musa (23 October 2016). "Call-Ready: Witness to History". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  10. ^ Chowdhury, Moinul Haq (17 March 2017). "Call-Ready Awaits the Call". bdnews24.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 9 May 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  11. ^ "'Since independence, no one else has given a speech using that microphone'". Daily Ittefaq. 25 November 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  12. ^ Rahman, Atika (24 March 2017). "Call-Ready: Witness to Independence". RTV Online. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Call-Ready". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  14. ^ কল-রেডী একটি মাইকের ইতিবৃত্ত. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  15. ^ "Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 7th March Speech Enters UNESCO's List". BBC Bengali. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Commemoration of 7th March 2018". dfp.gov.bd. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Call-Ready's 7th March". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Dhaka. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  18. ^ Joni, Rafsan (26 March 2017). "Call-Ready: Will Bangabandhu's Memory Be Preserved?". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
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