Bibhuti Bhusan Dutta, a renowned freedom fighter, was born at the Ketugram police station in the district of Burdwan. He completed his primary education in a village school in the year 1919. He boycotted school, participated in picketing and volunteered for the Indian National Congress. Bibhuti Dutta actively took part in several campaigns held in places like Berhampur, Salar and Katwa during the Non-Cooperation movement, which further fueled his political consciousness.
Bibhuti Bhusan passed the entrance examination with a first division from Salar National School. He came to the attention of the police due to his anti-British activities. In 1926, he became a primary member of the All-India Congress Committee and in 1927, he became the editor of the Salar Congress Committee.
As a dedicated worker at the Salar Khadi Ashram, Bibhuti performed various tasks, including threading, weaving, arranging for weavers, and trading khadi in places like Berhampur, Katwa, Daihat, Baidyapur. After the Gandhi-Irwin pact, he joined the Bengal provincial conference in Berhampur as a representative of the Murshidabad Zilla Congress.
While primarily an independent worker in Murshidabad Zilla, he became involved in the Katwa sub-divisional movement during the 1932 civil disobedience movement. The district magistrate of Murshidabad ordered his expulsion from the district on charges of misconduct and violation of the law. Bibhuti organized several anti-British campaigns in Katwa and Birbhum in support of the civil disobedience movement while living in hiding. He was arrested from Simulia and spent two years behind bars in Kandi, Dum Dum and Berhampur jails before being released.
In 1942, a police warrant was issued against him for his involvement in the Quit India Movement. Despite being in hiding, he organized secret missions in Burdwan, Birbhum and Murshidabad. However, he was arrested in 1943 from Birbhum and imprisoned in Katwa and later in Burdwan jail. Following his release, he established several Khadi manufacturing centres and continued working as a Khadi worker.
Bibhuti Bhusan Dutta passed away in 1982.
Tamra Patra awarded to Bibhuti Bhusan Dutta by Government of India in 1972
Source: Papiya Patwary, Contributor for CCRT