The nation on Wednesday paid homage to him at the Central Shaheed Minar, where he was given state honour.
While placing wreaths on his coffin, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote President Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu said: “A nation is fortunate to have people like Belal Mohammad. His work was like that of a lighthouse when a nation aspired to be free.”
Belal, who aired Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s proclamation of independence in Mar, 1971, died on Tuesday in Dhaka. He was 77.
The first Namaj-e-Janaza for him was held at his Uttara residence on Tuesday. His body was kept in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University mortuary.
On Wednesday morning, Belal’s coffin was taken to Bangladesh Betar’s Shahbagh office, where he had worked for long. The second Janaza was held there at around 11 am.
Later the coffin was taken to the Central Shaheed Minar, where a large number of people had gathered to pay their last respects to the Liberation War veteran.
The Dhaka district administration gave a guard of honour at Shaheed Minar with the bugle playing the Last Post.
President Abdul Hamid’s Personal Secretary Monirul Islam placed wreaths at the coffin on the President's behalf.
He was followed by Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, AN Mahfuza Khatun Baby Moudud MP, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif and Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan.
Freedom fighters, political leaders and cultural activists gathered at the Sheheed Minar to pay homage to Belal.
Bangladesh Film Development Corporation Managing Director Pijush Bandopadhyay said: “He was a man of courage and conscience. He retained the Bengali spirit all his life. The nation will remember him for his guidance in building the country.”
Cultural personality Kamal Lohani said: “He made a historic contribution (to the nation)… Every pro-Liberation War person will remember him.”
Syed Hasan Imam, a cultural personality and artiste of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, said only a few can match Belal's simplicity and moral strength.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Vice-President Golam Kuddus said: “He fought for the trial of war criminals but will not there to see the final outcome.”
Environment and Forest Minister Hasan Mahmud, artistes Kalyani Ghosh, Rafiqul Alam, Rezaul Karim, Fakir Alamgir and Nomina Ghosh, Liberation War Museum’s Mofidul Haq, historian Muntasir Mamun, Shahriar Kabir and Ferdousi Prioyabhashini also paid tributes to Belal.
At around 12:30 pm, his coffin was taken to Dhaka University Central Jame Mosjid compound where another round of Janaza was held. Later his body was handed over to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University as per his final wish.
Belal Mohammad was given the Independence Day Award in 2010 for his contribution to the Liberation War. He was living in retirement after having worked for Bangladesh Betar for many years.
He was born on February 20, 1936 in Musapur village in Chittagong’s Sandwip Upazila. He joined politics when he was a student.
Belal joined the Daily Azadi newspaper as its Deputy Editor in 1964. He started working as a scriptwriter for Radio Pakistan’s Chittagong office.
On March 26, 1971 Belal and his associates founded the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra at the radio station at Kalurghat, from where the independence of Bangladesh was proclaimed.
