Graphic Novel Mujib to be fascinating to children: Zafar Iqbal

Children will be more interested  towards exploring the life of Bangabandhu owing to the Graphic Novel Mujib and his childhood stories will be intriguing to them, said eminent litterateur and educationist Muhammed Zafar Iqbal.

"We must carry the knowledge about Bangabandhu forward to the next generation. Merely gathering information about him will not suffice. Rather, we must ensure that they can feel Bangabandhu as well," he said during the unveiling of the eighth episode of the graphic novel series presenting the life of the Father of the Nation to children.

Writer and Surviving 71 Director Wahid Ibn Reza, Graphic Novel Mujib's cartoonist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy, and singer Karishma Sanu Sovvota also graced the unveiling ceremony with their presence.

"It has been beautifully portrayed and I am waiting for getting my hands on the volumes to come. So nicely sketched is the childhood of Bangabandhu! His life in his own words! It will be fascinating to the children," Zafar Iqbal said about the graphic novel.

He said it is nearly impossible to know the entirety of Bangabandhu through one single source.

"We can just keep trying. With time, we are getting a closer look at his life. Now we are endowed with three books penned by him. The stories that had been undiscovered for long are now revealed to us. At the same time, we got to know about the writer in him. I underlined some portions on every page of his books."

Moreover, Zafar Iqbal said, the graphic novel is fascinating and children of these days are not inclined to reading.

"But, they must know about Bangabandhu. Remaining in dark about his life is the same as remaining in dark about Bangladesh. That is why it's a great idea as I feel nostalgic while looking back at the comics and cartoons. Even as a grown-up, I find comics adorable. That is why my felicitation goes to you for the initiative you have taken up," he said.

Recalling the day when Bangabandhu was assassinated along with his entire family, Zafar Iqbal said on August 15, 1975, Bangabandhu was scheduled  to visit Dhaka University where he was supposed to meet some meritorious students.

Reminiscing the leadership of Bangabandhu, he said, "His leonine voice was played across the country every now and then in 1971. During the entire Liberation War, he was locked up in jail. But, his leonine voice inspired freedom fighters. I doubt if any other leader in the world could create that history. He inspired us through his presence; he inspired us through his absence."

Graphic Novel Mujib Cartoonist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy said, "I hear them say, "Bangabandhu seems to be a superhero as depicted in the graphic novel. Was he really so? We read graphic novels on Mahatma Gandhi and many others. There was not so much suspense in those. But, why does that happen here?

"In reply, I said, "It is based on what he wrote. He is escaping jumping from one roof to another. That time was that much exciting. He was fighting with Panjabis. He kept fighting for his people. So, he cannot be compared with someone else. Many men, many qualities! There was a heroic role in his character."

Surviving 71 Director Wahid Ibn Reza said, "I didn't know Bangabandhu was so much involved in the language movement. But, this graphic novel offered insight into that aspect. I hope that readers will enjoy it a lot."

Singer Karishma Sanu Sovvota rendered a song, the words of which had been penned by her. Before singing the song, she said on the Graphic Novel Mujib, "I couldn't imagine that a politician's life could be so full of suspense. This book picked up some aspects that we hadn't read about since our childhood."

There will be a total of 10 episodes of the graphic novel series based on 'Unfinished Memoir', an autobiography written by the father of the nation Bangabandhu himself during his days of political imprisonment.

This graphic novel was translated into English and Japanese as well. Once all the episodes of the series are out to the market, it will also be available in the form of a volume, said the program's conductor Shibu Kumar Shil.