Living directories: Telephone operators at newspaper offices

Newspaper telephone operators can be called living directories, according to journalist ABM Musa. 

In Pratyay, a 2003 publication of Bangladesh Newspapers and Press Association Telephone Operators Welfare Association, ABM Musa reminisced about the '50s. He wrote, "Every office had only one telephone but no operator. All the work was done on that one telephone, from collecting news to collecting advertisements.  

"The Observer brought the first PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, in the 1960s. Then came PABX or Private Automatic Branch Exchange. Now we have the Hunting Line. The number of telephones increased in newspapers, and the number of operators also increased," he added.

He further wrote, "Over time, telephone operators became integral to newspaper management and publishing. I wonder how they memorise so many numbers! The reporter or the editor does not tell the operator the number. They just say, call this or that person – that can be a minister or the OC of the police station or a friend!"

Knowledge worker

Rezaul Karim worked at Daily Star PABX for 29 years, seven months and 14 days. 

"A telephone operator in a daily newspaper is like a highway. Just as cars can move faster on the highway, good operators can make communication faster and easier for organisations," he said.

Mohammad Ibrahim works at Dainik Kaler Kantha. He started working as a telephone operator in 1996 at Dainik Ajker Patrika. Then he worked in Dainik Banglabazar, Jugantar and Amar Desh.  

"Much of the newspaper's image depends on the telephone operator. An experienced operator helps the reporter to get comments from ministers, government officials or relevant experts within a short period of time and puts his organisation ahead of other newspapers."

Selina Parveen started working as an operator at Dainik Dinkale in 1991.  She has worked at Independent and Amar Desh for more than two decades. 

She said, "The operator has to be polite and patient. Their gentle behaviour can make getting comments and interviews from ministers or MPs easier."  

We see a reflection of similar thoughts in an article by journalist Mizanur Rahman Khan. He calls operators 'knowledge workers'. 

"An operator's intelligent communication and connection can determine the journalist's and newspaper's success and achievement. It is very difficult to verify the truth of a report during peak hours. When a reporter gets caught up in this tension, his saviour is a telephone operator."

Worth it

Rezaul Karim started working in PABX during the dial phone era. He joined the Daily Star on 5 January 1991. Since then, he has never considered leaving the Daily Star mainly for two reasons: the salary and office environment were good. The editors and managing editors were also supportive. 

Rezaul said, "From the reporter to the editor – everyone at the Daily Star was well-educated and elegant. Many of them are now working in high positions in different media."

When asked why the number has to be memorised even after saving it in the book, Rezaul said, "There is so much pressure during peak hours that there is no time to extract the number from the account. So if the numbers are memorised, it is beneficial."

Issuing 'character certificates'

After joining Ajker Kagoj, Mohammad Ibrahim took the initiative to form Bangladesh Newspapers and Press Association Telephone Operators Welfare Association, the organisation of telephone operators. He was the founding general secretary of the organisation.  

"At my request, people like Dr Neelima Ibrahim, ABM Musa, and Ranjit Biswas have written for Pratyay. It was a huge deal for me. Working as an operator allowed me to reach out to these remarkable people. An operator can build relationships with everyone from newspaper owners to politicians, businessmen and intellectuals. However, many do not know how to evaluate the operators properly," he said.

According to Ibrahim, operators also helped reporters with weddings. The bride or groom would call the PABX to inquire about the behaviour of a particular journalist. "I have received such phone calls and given character certificates more than once. Besides, the embassies usually ask the operator about the reporters who want to go abroad."

Ibrahim reminisced, "Patro Chai, Patri Chai was printed a lot in the newspapers.  Some of these were fraudulent. The readers used to abuse the operator over the phone, asking how the newspaper could put them in danger like this. The reader thought that these things were printed from the newspaper.  Then, the operator explained that the advertisers are responsible for all this.  More danger was in the case of energy-enhancing drugs. Most of those ads were scams. Gradually, the newspaper authorities stopped printing them."

Ibrahim has also written down the news dictated over the phone by district correspondents. But now that smartphones are in every pocket, Ibrahim thinks that the role of PABX has decreased. But he does not think that the need for this technology will run out soon.