During the liberation war of Bangladesh against Pakistan in 1971, Jibonkrishna Das, a poor lower-caste Hindu drummer, was eking out a living with his wife and two children. Being lower-caste, Jibon was subjected to all kinds of humiliation both from his Muslim neighbours as well as by the upper caste Hindus. When Pakistan army occupied Jibon's village, Jibon along with others, tried to flee to India. On the way, members of his family were killed in a massacre. Jibon survived, and after roaming around the war-ravaged countryside, finally returned to his native village which was then being ruled brutally by the Razakars, an Islamic auxiliary force collaborating with the Pakistan army. The commander of the Razakars spared Jibon's life on the condition that he had to play drum for his marauding force. Jibon's situation became very ironic until the Bengalee freedom fighters arrived