Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday called upon all to make the new generation aware of the real history of the nation which reached its destination through tremendous sacrifices and struggles.

‘Our new generation should be known the real history of the events. The history of the independence of Bangalee is a unique example of how a nation could reach its destination through sacrifice, subjugation and bloodshed,’ she said, reports the BSS.

The prime minister said this while inaugurating the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2019 on Bangla Academy premises here this afternoon.

Focusing on the real history of Language Movement, the prime minister said many people spread distorted information on the history of the movement even on Great War of Liberation.

The ‘Unfinished Memoirs of Bangabandhu’ and the ‘Secret Documents of the Intelligence Branch on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,’ are important sources for new generation to know the real history, she said.

On the occasion, the prime minister unveiled the cover of the second part of the ‘Secret Documents of the Intelligence Branch on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,’ which contains the events of jail life of Bangabandhu in 1951 and 1952.

The ‘Secret Documents of the Intelligence Branch on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ is being published in 14 volumes where many unknown facts on Bangabandhu’s struggle for independence were unveiled.

Chairman of the Bangla Academy Dr Anisuzzaman presided over the function while state minister for cultural affairs K M Khalid, eminent Bengali Indian poet Shankha Ghosh and Egyptian writer, journalist and researcher Mohsen Al Arishi were present as special guests.

Cultural affairs secretary Dr Md. Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, president of Gyan O Srijanshil Prokashona Samity Farid Ahmed also spoke on the occasion where Director General of the Bangla Academy Habibullah Sirajee gave the welcome address.

The prime minister also handed over Bangla Academy Sahitya Purashkar 2019 to four recipients in different categories. They are Kazi Rosy (poetry), Muhith Kamal (literature), Syed Md. Shahed (easy and research) and Afsan Chowdhury (research on Liberation War).

After the partition of British India in 1947, the Language Movement was
launched at the beginning of 1948, Sheikh Hasina said, adding Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was closely associated with the
movement from the very beginning.

In this regard the prime minister underlined some quotes from book, ‘Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.’

A weekly secret report issued from Faridpur SP office as mentioned in the book, says, an all-out Hartal was called in Gopalganj on the March 16, 1948 protesting the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said quoting the book.

The book stated that in the afternoon, students of S.N. Academy and M.N. Institute brought out a protest rally in the town chanting ‘We demand Bangla as State Language’, Down with Nizamuddin, ‘Set Mujib Free’.

On January 4, 1949, a ‘Protest Day against Oppression’ was observed in Dhaka. On this occasion, a meeting was held on the campus of Dhaka University with the presence of students from different other institutions, the premier quoted the book again.

Referring to ‘Unfinished Memoirs of Bangabandhu’, Sheikh Hasina stated that the decision of observing February 21, 1952 as State Language Day was taken in a secret meeting held at a cabin of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Ailing Bangabandhu was admitted in the cabin, Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘It is a matter of great pleasure for Bangalee nation
that the book ‘The Unfinished Memoirs by Bangabandhu’ has been translated
into many languages across the world.