Taylor & Francis publishes ‘Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation, Bangladesh: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’

Taylor & Francis has partnered with Hakkani Publishers of Bangladesh to publish ‘Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation, Bangladesh: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’.

Edited by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, ‘Secret Documents’ consists of 14 volumes of declassified records kept by the Pakistan Intelligence Branch on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. ‘Secret Documents’ are significant not only for Bangladesh’s national history, but for their importance in the biographical details of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a man known as the Father of the Nation (“Jatir Pita”). The Prime Minister unveiled the book in a ceremony at the Claridge’s Hotel in London during a recent visit to the UK.

Jeremy North, Director (Books), Taylor & Francis, attended the ceremony on behalf of Taylor & Francis to give a speech on the content and influence of the book.

Jeremy said, “These volumes, published as part of our co-publication program, demonstrate our mission to maximize the impact of knowledge that contributes to the pursuit of truth and diversity of thought. We are delighted to work with our partners to bring these authentic sources on Bangladesh’s independence movement to the rest of the world, making them accessible for more researchers and readers around the world.”

Managing Director, Taylor & Francis India & South Asia, Nitasha Devasar, had this to say: “Publishing these previously classified documents is important for openness and transparency around the independence movement in Bangladesh. That these materials are now available matters to us and the world. I was honoured to meet Sheikh Hasina in person in her office when we signed the book contract, and learnt first-hand all the effort that had gone into bringing this important resource to light.”

For those unfamiliar with the history of South Asia, Bangladesh was the Bengali-speaking East Pakistan, that become its own separate nation in 1971. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a driving force behind the independence of Bangladesh, was elected as the founding Prime Minister. The records listed in the 14 volumes, covering the period 1948-1971 chronologically, detail the trajectory of the movements and political struggles that led to the formation of the independent nation state, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. These documents include letters, speeches from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, meeting minutes, details of his arrests, secret reports maintained by Special Branch & Crime Investigation Department of Karachi, details of Sheikh Mujib’s tours to various regions in the then East Pakistan and various interviews given by him.  According to BdNews24.com, these volumes took 20 years to be published, with work starting in 1996.

For researchers on Bangladesh’s politics and history, the ‘Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation, Bangladesh: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ provides a bridge for these authentic sources of Bangladesh’s history to reach the global academic community, and provides valuable insight for political leaders across the world.