Telling adolescents about different heroic chapters of the 1971 Liberation War is, undoubtedly, a noble attempt. In the recent times, a section of persons are found to have volunteered the task of letting boys and girls know about the history of the 9-month War of Freedom. Most of them dwell on the courage and patriotism of the Bengalee Freedom Fighters in the war. Others narrate how they embraced martyrdom on the front. The accounts also focus on the brutal killing of the fighters in detention camps. Some of these story-men themselves fought the war, at times engaging in frontal fight with the occupation army. These tales about the most glorious chapter of the country are replete with elements that normally attract teenage boys and girls. The aged of these chroniclers include septuagenarians and those in their eighties.
In Western Africa, there are professionals who tell people about the heroic exploits of the legendary heroes of the past. Basically oral historians, they are called 'griots'. For generations spanning more than a hundred years, they roam places to tell people of all ages the sagas of their national heroes. To many elderly people, the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War appears to have been fought only the other day. But for the younger generation of 2021, fifty years comprise half a century! Many of them were not even born during that time, or had been in their childhood in 1971. Due to the biased account of 1971 and many types of tampering with history, youths in the later generations remained deprived of the truths about the Liberation War. Bangladesh doesn't have the tradition of oral history-telling. Had it been there in place, wilful distortions could have found it hard to make inroads into theLiberation War's history. By volunteering to tell the teenagers the gripping tales of 1971, the 'story-tellers' have embarked on a grand mission.
There is a flipside. Due to the absence of an authentic history of the Liberation War at school-level textbooks, on the electronic media and lots of other outlets for long in the past, many youths grew up amid a void --- without knowing many facts of the War. In bringing life to the Freedom Fighters' heroism, and the sacrifices made by millions during the wartime nine months, the story sessions couldn't have been timelier. Apparently the narrators have chosen the right time --- the golden jubilee of the start of the Liberation War. In the view of academics, TV-cinema, open-air story sessions, popular fictions etc are effective in passing the Liberation War's message to adolescents. But they pale beside the strength of textbooks. Had the textbooks portrayed the Liberation War without bias from the beginning, and without break, school students would have largely remained free of their later confusions. It's heartening to see that men of conscience couldn't sit idle during the historic event of the 50th anniversary of the country's independence. They deserve plaudits. They have appeared before the teenagers whom they thought would be interested to learn about the great national saga.
To the shock of many, the reality appears different. Many children are found inattentive, and, also indifferent, to the flat presentation of the narrations. Mere historical accounts accompanied by dry facts cannot be expected to move children. When it comes to guerrilla warfare, the teenage youths look for elements of 'thrill' and 'suspense'. Conservative quarters may find in these words attempts to push children into sensationalism and crass excitement. But how can we shun them. The very concept of starting a struggle for freedom involves excitement. The spontaneous mass response to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib's call for independence in his 7th March speech is a glaring proof of this infallible national trait filled with irresistible outburst of emotion.