BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organized a seminar titled “Bangabandhu’s The Unfinished Memoirs: A Review”, on 15 March 2020, at BIISS auditorium. It was initiated for holding discussions on the aforementioned book about the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The seminar was divided into two sessions. Speakers in the inaugural session were Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), and Dr. Shamsul Alam, Member (Senior Secretary), General Economics Division (GED), Bangladesh Planning Commission, Government of Bangladesh. H.E. Dr. A K Abdul Momen, honourable Foreign Minister, Bangladesh, graced the session as the chief guest. Ambassador M. Fazlul Karim, chairman, BIISS, chaired the session.

In the first session, speakers were Dr. Md Rafiqul Islam, Associate Professor, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dhaka University; Dr. Muhammad Shahadat Hossain Siddiquee, Professor, Department of Economics, Dhaka University; and Dr. Syed Anwar Husain, Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). Major General Md Emdad Ul Bari, ndc, psc, te, moderated the session.

Speakers and discussants spoke about and reflected on various phases and incidents of Bangabandhu’s life as mentioned in the book and also from their personal experiences, e.g., his leadership skills and foresights, infinite love and commitment for his people and  country, unremitting stance for upholding the rights of the oppressed and against the oppressor everywhere, visions about Bangladesh, regional and global issues, different aspects of his policies in these regards before and after independence of Bangladesh, etc. Members from the audience asked speakers various questions, provided their own suggestions, recommendations and opinions. The Unfinished Memoirs of Bangabandhu had been printed in nine other languages and recently, there was a stall at the 2020 Ekushey Book Fair where all these different translated copies were put up. The book can be a masterpiece to learn about Bangabandhu’s political philosophy, struggle for justice, equality and peace as it is not merely a record of the his life experience, but also portrays his political thinking, which inspires the whole nation to build Sonar Bangla he dreamt of. This seminar was the beginning of a series of seminars on Bangabandhu that BIISS would arrange in the Mujib Borsho, with an intention of publishing a book based on discussions held, since the Bangladesh government’s declaration of 17th March 2020 to 26th March 2021 as Mujib Borsho. In that book, opinions of all would be included.