New graphic novel ‘Mujib-4’ portrays Bangabandhu’s first Delhi visit

The fourth edition of a graphic novel series on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been released at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair focusing his first-ever Delhi visit after World War II.

The research wing of Awami League, Centre for Research and Information (CRI), which published the book, organised the launching ceremony of the graphic novel ‘Mujib-4’ on the Bangla Academy premises on Saturday.

Unveiling the book, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, a trustee of CRI and grandson of Bangabandhu, said this edition projected “some twists and turns of Bangabandhu’s student life with an aim to inform young readers that Bangabandhu was not born with a golden spoon.”

“In his student life he had to face the odds typical of those other youths do,” he said. “Rather, he led a very ordinary life without inheriting any great fortune and emerged as the architect of independence of Bangladesh.”

His Delhi visit was to attend the All India Muslim League conference.

The book presented young Mujib’s adventure in Delhi, among others. After visiting some historic sites, he and his two other associates found they almost ran out of money to buy the return tickets.

Later, how three of them come back to Kolkata with a single ticket dodging the checkers is also clearly illustrated in the fourth part of the Graphic Novel series.

Apart from revealing the story of Bangabandhu’s journey from Delhi to Calcutta,  another interesting feature included is an argument young Mujib had with his then political mentor Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.

The entire graphic novel series is based on the "The Unfinished Memoirs" of Bangabandhu, written during his incarceration.

This is being presented in 12 parts of the graphic novel series, according to CRI, mainly aimed at raising keenness among children and teenagers to learn about the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the nation’s history.

CRI says they plan to release eight more parts of the series in turn.

Cartoonist Sayed Rashad Imam Tonmoy said it was a difficult task to portray the life of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a graphic novel,

Nasrul Hamid Bipu, state minister for power energy and mineral resources, Tarana Halim, state minister for information, and Junaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT, were present, among others.

Radwan presented kids with complimentary copies of the edition from the CRI stall at the Bangla Academy Premises (stall no. 100/119).

The previously released ‘Mujib-3’ highlights the post-World War II period of the life of Bangabandhu, during which he arranged for food for the starving people in his locality.

Mujib–2 of the series, covers the political rise of Bangabandhu and his growing ties with his political mentor Shaheed Suhrawardy along with an important football match between the young Mujib and his father.

Mujib–1 portrayed the childhood of Bangabandhu and how he got involved in politics.