Hasina the uncredited editor of graphic novel on Bangabandhu

“I had to return from Delhi in 1943 without visiting the Taj Mahal. Thinking that I cannot make the same mistake again, I made a decision to hire a tanga (horse cart) at the end of the convention to head towards the Taj Mahal.”

The extract above is from the draft of the seventh volume of the graphic novel “Mujib”. When the draft reached Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she suggested some new ideas to incorporate into the story. 

“I had to return from Delhi in 1943 without visiting the Taj Mahal. Thinking that I cannot make the same mistake again, I went to Agra from my hotel,” rewrote Hasina with red ink.

“The moon appeared out of darkness and we started for Kolkata.” That was the last line of the page.

Hasina struck off the entire sentence and drafted a new line: “We came back to Kolkata.”

The prime minister has been editing the publication and suggesting changes, if necessary.

After publishing an unfinished autobiography of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq took an initiative to transform it into a graphic novel in an attempt to present the eventful life of the independence leader to the younger generation in an attractive manner.

Although graphic novels based on the lives of famous people, including politicians, are published in various countries, this is the first time such an initiative has been taken in Bangladesh. The first volume of Mujib was published on Mar 17, 2015.

The Awami League’s Centre for Research and Information, or CRI, has been publishing the novel based on the autobiography of Bangabandhu.

“It was Radwan Mujib Siddiq who generated the idea for such a publication. We held a discussion with the prime minister over it. She decided the title of the book,” CRI Executive Director Sabbir Bin Shams told bdnews24.com.

The seventh volume of the novel is about to be published, CRI trustee Radwan wrote on Facebook. Every minute mistake and distortion was picked up by Hasina because of her “strong sense of history”, Siddiq wrote as he highlighted her role in publishing the novel.

Children browsing books at the Ekushey fair in Dhaka on Friday. Photo: Abdullah Al Momin

After sharing a few photos of Hasina’s edited manuscript of the seventh volume of Mujib, Radwan said the publication will soon reach the readers with several new stories.

So far, six volumes of Mujib have been published in Bangla, three in English and two in Japanese. Mujib will be published in a total of 10 parts.

Sabbir said: “Sheikh Hasina looks into how Bangabandhu will be illustrated in the novel. She scrutinises every step -- from the choice of words, dialogues and spelling to pictures and style of narrative.”

The drawing, placement of dialogues and editing of the novel are being carried out in three layers, said Sabbir.

“The stories were sent out long ago. We provide a draft for each volume. Then Hasina’s suggestions are taken into account and a new draft is made and resent. We arrange for the publication after her final approval.”

HOW DID THE IDEA COME ABOUT?

"Mar 17 is the birthday of Bangabandhu and the children’s day. We came up with the idea of the book while celebrating the day. Members of our youth platform Young Bangla wanted something like this for themselves. Graphic novels are published in other countries. There is one published on Gandhi as well. Radwan Mujib Siddiq first came up with the idea,” said Sabbir.

"Since graphic novel is a popular medium, the goal is to inform the young generation about Bangabandhu in an attractive way.”

"We have targeted the young people with our publication,” Shibu Kumer Shill, editor of the novel, told bdnews24.com

It was a great challenge to turn an autobiography into a fiction, the editor admitted. "It was challenging because we did not see Bangabandhu. Moreover, his history has been distorted in this country for a long time."

There are many characters such as Bhasani and Suhrawardy who can be researched; but there are others who are beyond research, said Shibu. “Therefore, we had to depend on our imagination in certain parts. We wrote the dialogues as well,” he added.

“The prime minister has been involved in the publication of this book from the very beginning. She diligently checked every draft.”

The unfinished autobiography of Bangabandhu focuses on his birth, family, childhood, education, social and political activities, famine, riot in Bihar and Kolkata, Partition of Bengal, the political situation before 1954, Language Movement, formation of Awami League and Chhatra League, formation of Jukto Front, discriminatory governance by the central government of Pakistan, and his days in prison.