The international editions of volumes 8, 9 and 10 of "Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman" by UK's leading publisher Taylor & Francis were launched Wednesday at the London Book Fair 2022.

This was the first time that Bangladesh participated in the prestigious fair where every year more than 25,000 publishers, writers and book critics from around the world showcase their books and other publications.

Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi unveiled the international editions of the three new volumes of Secret Documents at the Bangabandhu Pavilion, hosted by the Bangladesh High Commission in London in collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, Curator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum Nazrul Islam Khan, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Asim Kumar Dey, eminent organiser of Bangladesh's liberation war movement in the UK Sultan Mahmud Sharif, Director of Taylor & Francis Jeremy North, and proprietor of Hakkani Publishers Golam Mostofa were present during the unveiling.

Dr Gowher Rizvi said, "Launching the international editions of the historical documents at the London Book Fair will allow people around the globe to get a better understanding of how Bangabandhu was politically abused, tortured, and imprisoned time and again during the 23 years of Pakistan."

"People, especially the researchers and younger generation, must read Secret Documents to learn about Bangabandhu's long struggle for Bangladesh's independence."

Last November, the high commission organised the launching of the first seven volumes of the international editions of this historic and empirical evidence-based documents at the Claridge's ballroom where Bangabandhu held his historic January 8, 1972, international press conference, Saida Muna said.

Today the high commission is very happy to have organised the launching of volumes 8, 9 and 10 of the international editions of Secret Documents at the London Book Fair in collaboration with Taylor & Francis, she added.

The high commissioner said they are now working with Taylor & Francis to promote the international editions of Secret Documents for its further exposure and research at eminent universities in the UK and distribution to local community libraries for the new generation to learn about the historic facts of Bangabandhu's political career between 1947-71.

Nazrul Islam, who oversees the publication of Secret Documents, said: "These documents serve as the ultimate manual for the freedom-loving people around the world."

Jeremy North termed Secret Documents a landmark publication and said, "No prime minister in the world except Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina could take the initiative to publish such a secret document of the state."

Academics from UK universities, including Cambridge University, eminent members of British and British-Bangladeshi communities and a good number of book-loving visitors to the annual book fair attended the launching event.