Bangabandhu’s support for humanism, reflected in his 'Unfinished Memoirs': FM

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's political vision and his unremitting support for humanism and world peace are reflected in his autobiography, 'The Unfinished Memoirs'.

Dr Momen said this in a video message at the launch of the Korean version of Bangabandhu's autobiography in Seoul on Thursday. The event was part of the birth centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu.

According to the Foreign Minister,  the Korean version of 'The Unfinished Memoirs' will provide a unique opportunity to the "friendly people" of the East Asian country to learn about the life of this greatest Bengali of all times, his universal vision and philosophy, and his contributions to the creation of Bangladesh.

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul took the initiative to translate 'The Unfinished Memoirs' into the Korean language.

Lee Dong-heon has made the translation and Korean publisher Moraeal LLC will make the publication available both in local book stores in the Republic of Korea as well as on virtual platforms.

Curator of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum, Nazrul Islam Khan, said that 'The Unfinished Memoirs' is not only an autobiography but also a record of the political and socio-cultural history of Bangladesh and its Korean translation will help the Korean people to know about the commonality of the two nations in their struggle for independence.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Korea Abida Islam recalled with profound reverence the greatest Bangali of all time, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh.

She also paid her deep respects to three million martyrs and all the freedom fighters for their collective sacrifices which have built "today's Bangladesh".

The Ambassador said the philosophy and legacy of Bangabandhu are still relevant in today's world as it strives to establish the rights of the oppressed and try to build a peaceful, just, and prosperous world.

She acknowledged the assistance of all the respective persons and authorities in bringing out the Korean version of 'The Unfinished Memoirs'.

The Ambassador also anticipated that the Korean readers would be able to relate themselves with this publication because like the Bengalis, they also fought a similar battle for emancipation.

Sul Hoon, Member of the National Assembly, Republic of Korea, and Lee Sangryol, Director-General of the Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, graced the occasion as the guests of honour.

Sul Hoon said that as the founding father and leader of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu aspired and enabled the Bangladeshi people to preserve their language and culture and live in peace on their ancestral land.

"As the Father of the Nation, he exerted unparalleled leadership in rebuilding the country and promoting democracy and peace."

"We still have an 'unfinished history', a peaceful reunification of the two Koreas. In this regard, Bangabandhu's life and the history of Bangladesh inspire our politicians to reflect on how much commitment and dedication and what leadership it takes to achieve a true unity of our nation," he said.

Director General Lee Sangryol pointed out the diplomatic and charismatic aspects of Bangabandhu's personality.

He said Bangabandhu's vision of friendship and non-violence resonates in the hearts of the peace-loving people of the world, particularly of the Korean people who have gone through thick and thin throughout the history.    

The event was attended by ambassadors and other diplomats of various countries, officials of the Korean government, members of the civil society, representatives of the print and electronic media and the expatriate Bangladesh community living in Seoul.

Later, Ambassador Abida awarded a crest to Lee Dong-heon, acknowledging his contribution to translating the book, in the presence of the publishers of this book.

They all acknowledged the contributions of Sheuli Fateha, Lecturer, Korean Language Programme, Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka, who validated the translation work.

Earlier, the Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul had published the Korean translation of Bangabandhu's Historic 7th March speech and the book, 'Bangabandhu, The People's Hero'.

As part of the event, a brief photo exhibition on the glorious life and works of the Father of the Nation was also organised.

The theme song of the Mujib Year and the recorded cultural performances of the Bangladeshi artists and the members of small ethnic minority communities were screened during the event.

The handicrafts and a few exportable items of Bangladesh were displayed at the event and the guests were entertained with traditional Bengali cuisine.