Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unveiled a book containing intelligence documents on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The book, titled Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch (IB) on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was unveiled at Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Friday.
This is the first volume of a series of 14 books containing about 40,000 documents and important information of the chronological history of the struggle of Bangalees for independence including the Language Movement.
The first volume contains the documents of 1948 to 1950, reports BSS.
Hakkani Prakashani published the book edited by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the support of the Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust.
In her address during the publication ceremony, the Prime Minister expressed her optimism that the people of Bangladesh would follow the path of history of the War of Liberation to build a prosperous nation as dreamt by
“People of Bangladesh now have the opportunity to know the country’s real history and they would build a prosperous nation based on the spirit of the Liberation War,” she said.
She said, “A lie cannot suppress the truth for all times. History of Bangladesh cannot be written without Bangabandhu as he’s the major part of the Bangalee’s glorious history.”
Sheikh Hasina said the documents would help know the long struggle of Bangabandhu for Bangladesh’s independence, his protest against Pakistani’s exploitation and for the cause of protecting the rights of the people.
Professor Emeritus Rafiqul Islam presided over the function while Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan was present as main discussant.
Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Mohammad Jabed Patwary spoke on the occasion how the documents of IB were retrieved from the storeroom of Special Branch (SB) of Bangladesh Police by a 22-member team.
Member secretary of the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust Sheikh Hafizur Rahman and proprietor of Hakkani Publisher Golam Mostafa and curator of Bangabandhu Museum Nazrul Islam Khan also spoke on the occasion.
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudury, Chief Election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda, cabinet members, judges of the Supreme Court and Chiefs of three services and diplomats were present.
Younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Rehana and Prime Minister’s family members, leaders of different political parties and professional bodies, writers, poets and litterateurs joined the programme.
The Prime Minister said Bangabandhu was always vocal against the intimidation of Pakistan on Bangalees. So, the reports of IB were mostly against Bangabandhu, she added.
Terming the documents as invaluable treasures of Bangabandhu’s political life, the prime minister said adding these records would allow people to know every activities of Bangabandhu during the Pakistani regime.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu fought for his whole life to establish the rights of the Bangalee people. Since 1948, Bangabandhu psyched the nation step by step for the country’s independence, she said.
On the road prepared by Bangabandhu, the people of Bangladesh forged resistance against the occupation force and earned independence, she said.
Bangabandhu was repeatedly sent to jails and but he never bowed down his head to the rulers, she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the chairperson of the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, said two other books- one on Bangabandhu’s visit to China and other on Bangabandhu’s autobiography- would be published very soon.