Rezaul Islam

Soliloquy of 1971 Rezaul Islam

Rezaul Islam was a teenager during the period of Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan in 1971. A sensitive and skilled writer in his native language (Bengali/Bangla), he published the original version of this book in 2017, to warm acclaim. More recently, he worked with editor Cordelia Fuller to produce an English translation of this compelling work. From a review by Laszlo Czaban, former lecturer at Leeds University: "This book centers on the experiences of one extended family during the nine months of the Bangladesh Independence War. It describes ordinary events (not many violent ones, despite the war context) and ordinary and extraordinary situations, people, and communities. All these events are seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy, whose perceptions are about the people he knows, their roles in the family, their roles in the community. This book is a kind of a memoir, and not a diary. It is a collection of memories, sometimes more organized, sometimes more mosaic-like, but a set of memories that cover the year of the Independence War. Even the victory that comes at the end of the book is described through the return of the 15-year old freedom fighter, i.e., through the actions and behaviors of family and friends. Thus, the author's story-telling style is maintained throughout. This is a valuable addition to the limited first-hand accounts of the Bangladesh Independence War, written in a style that welcomes the reader to gain insight into family, broader relationships, and communities."