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Book
Review
Documenting
'71
Mahbuba
Zannat
Within
the span of 34 years of the Liberation War of Bangladesh many
writers have attempted to keep alive the memory of the brutal,
tragic and the glorious history of our much-craved for freedom
struggle.
But freedom
fighter Nurul Quadir has approached the subject with an added
emphasis on authenticity and detail that makes his book 'Dusho
Chheshatti Dine Shwadhinata' a valuable document.
The ninth
edition of its Bangla copy Dusho Chheshatti Dine Shwadhinata,
Mukta Prakashan published the Englsih version of the book
"Independence of Bangladesh -- History and Documentary
Evidence"-- with a view to reach a wider audience.
 The
history of the country's Liberation War is depicted here with
photographs, documents and news stories published in different
newspapers as well as paper cuttings, telegrams, publications
and circulars of Mujibnagar Government of that time.
Comments
of the world leaders during the war, activities of the Mujib
Nagar Government, progress of the, circular of the Mujibnagar
government and even the oath of the ministers of the then
government make the book all the more intriguing.
The 27-chapter
book starts with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic address
at the erstwhile RaceCourse Ground on March 7. An ambassador
of the Mujib Nagar Government during the Liberation War, Nurul
Quadir has included his experiences, detailed information
on the war's progress, how they looked for help, assistance
and support abroad for the country's liberation.
Nurul
Quadir, the representative ambassador of Mujibnagar Government
portrays his visit to Afghanistan, Iran and Delhi, Goa, Mumbai
in India seeking assistance for the country. Yet the book
consists of 704 pages in Bangla version and 744 in English
version is not like the diary of the war days or like a dull
history book. Rather it seems like a movie, which comes alive
through the pages.
A few
interviews of significant personalities such as Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman and Enayetur Rahim have added to the authenticity of
the book. Eminent journalist David Frost and Motiur Rahman
have taken the interviews respectively.
The book
also mentions the visit of Henry Kissinger, national security
advisor of the then US President Nixon, role of China, lists
of the 751 martyrs of the members of Bangladesh police force
and the 742 awarded members of EPR force. Accounts of British
journalist Simon Dring and the story of the youngest freedom
fighter in 1971 Bir Protik Shahidul Islam (who did not know
that he had been awarded Bir Protik title before 1973), are
also included.
Bangladesh
Etihash Parishad (a committee on the history of Bangladesh)
nominated the book Dusho Chheshatti Dine Shwadhinata as the
best book for the Bangla year 1406.
"At
first I was apprehensive of the book's circulation" says
the author, "but people have taken it seriously and shown
great interest in it." "The first edition of the
Bangla book was published in 1997, and after the hardship
of about 10 years the English version has been published,"
he adds.
A couple
of Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University teachers
have helped in translating the book and editors from home
and abroad were also involved in editing to make the language
come alive.
"The
new generation will not exploit their merit, labour and time
by thinking of the disputed subjects. They don't tell lies
and don't even believe in lies," says Nurul Quadir the
writer and publisher of the book. Quader plans to distribute
the book in the United States, England and Australia. His
aim will be to persuade expatriate Bangladeshis to introduce
their children to books on the Liberation War so that they
have a clear understanding of this momentous period in the
country's history.
The 9th
edition of the book 'Dusho chheshotti Dine Shawdhinata' costs
Tk 2,000 while the English version 'Independence of Bangladesh
in 266 days' is priced at TK 3,000.
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