If anyone wants to know about Bangladesh, he or she must know about the Father of the Nation. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an inseparable part of the nation’s history. Books can help to explore his remarkable life, from his early years to his charismatic leadership during tumultuous times. Autobiographies and other insightful books can vividly depict his struggles, political endeavours, and dedication to social justice. In this article, we have selected 7 best books on the Father of the Nation to help the youths learn more about the greatest leader in Bangladesh’s history. Books by Bangabandhu The architect of independent Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bangalee of all time, was not only a public leader but also deeply passionate about literature and culture. The proof of this can be found in his three books, ‘The Unfinished Memoirs’, ‘Prison Diaries’ and ‘New China 1952’. The Unfinished Memoirs ‘Oshomapto Attojiboni’ (The Unfinished Memoirs) is an autobiography by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman written in Bengali. In 2004, Bangabandhu’s daughter, Sheikh Hasina received four notebooks containing his writing. The writing on the old, worn-out pages revealed that these were his unfinished autobiography, written between 1967 and 1969 while in prison. In his memoirs, Bangabandhu vividly paints a detailed picture of various facets of his life. He expressively recounts his ancestry and childhood years, his experiences during school and college, as well as his involvement in social and political spheres. his story digs into the historical events that he closely observed as a committed political activist, both preceding and following India's partition. He provides insights into the occurrences such as famine, communal riots in Kolkata and Bihar, the partition itself, and the discriminatory stance of Pakistan's central government. The memoir also meticulously documents pivotal moments such as the Language Movement, the emerging stirrings of the autonomy and independence movements, and skillfully captures a blend of immense uncertainties and soaring aspirations that defined the nation during that era. Bangabandhu did not shy away from expressing his perspectives on other notable leaders of the time, such as Maulana Bhashani, A.K. Fazlul Haq, Mahatma Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Yar Mohammad Khan, Liaquat Ali Khan, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Ghulam Muhammad, Abul Hashim, Khawaja Nazimuddin, Chaudhury Muhammad Ali, Mohammad Ali Bogra, and Nurul Amin. This is the most reliable book to learn about the overall life of the Father of the Nation before the Liberation War. The book was first published in 2012 by The University Press Limited, Dhaka in Bangla language. Since its first publication, ‘The Unfinished Memoirs’ has been published in many languages including in braille as well. Read more: Who was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? A Short Biography of Bangabandhu, Father of the Nation The Prison Diaries ‘Karagarer Roznamcha’ (The Prison Diaries) is the second memoir by Bangabandhu. Written in Bangla, this book is based on Bangabandhu’s days in jail from 1966 to 1968. Besides discussing the details of prison life, the book reveals the political, economic, and social conditions of contemporary Pakistan. Bangabandhu mentioned political situations at that time, the condition of Awami League leaders and workers in prison, the condition of the media, and the ruthless torture of the rulers. In addition to that, the Father of the Nation also highlighted conspiracy, betrayal, love of nature, devotion to parents, the joys and sorrows in prison in the book. When Bangabandhu was released from prison in 1969, the then government of Pakistan seized his diaries. Four of them were returned later. In 2009, at the initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and with the help of the Special Branch, two more notebooks were retrieved. Based on them, Bangla Academy published the book in 2017.

Sweta, a 27-year old movie lover from Kolkata, never misses biopics or autobiographies on the female changemakers. Watching 'Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale' , she was deeply moved by the journey of Sheikh Hasina from being a survivor of an assassinated family to struggling against a military dictator to become the Prime Minister for three consecutive terms. Read: Another chance to watch "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale" Monday “I can’t imagine how a lady informed of the murder of her almost entire family could still gather the courage to move on. If you were denied access to the very country your father had liberated and you had to endure an agonizing wait for six years to get back to your motherland, it would feel like the end of the world. But, she refused to give up and now she has made Bangladesh a developmental role model,” said Sweta, a management professional living in Kolkata. She was effusive in her appreciation for the docudrama on Sheikh Hasina as a daughter of Bangabandhu after it was screened on a news channel in Kolkata for the first time. “I have read the life story of Maya Angelou, a black woman in the USA whose lifelong agony is reflected in her autobiographical novel ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. I also know about Mayawati, a Dalit woman whose endless struggle to become the chief minister of her state inspired a movie." But, Hasina’s story sends a stronger message to all the women who want to fight against all the odds, she went on saying. Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale, directed by Piplu Khan, zeroes on the darkest chapter in the history of South Asia – the murder of Bangabandhu’s family by some disgruntled army officers in 1975.  That foreshadowed the challenging years lying before her and the entire journey was neatly depicted in the docudrama that brought forth every relevant detail from Bangabandhu’s Dhanmondi-32 residence where the assassination took place to the house in Belgium where Sheikh Hasina was staying at that time. Read: 'Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale’ to be aired on television on her birthday The rendition of Bangabandhu’s favorite song ‘Amar Sadh Na Mitilo, Asha Na Purilo’ (My wish unmet, my hope untouched) dominating the background adds to the movie’s appeal. Shreya, a college student in Kolkata, felt a strong personal connections with the docudrama due to her ancestral roots in Bangladesh. “My forefather hailed from Bikrampur in Bangladesh. The people of Bangladesh resisted a genocide under the leadership of Bangabandhu. Shockingly, he was murdered on the very land he liberated. Watching this movie, I came to know that Hasina had to struggle so long with so much patience to reclaim her space in the country,” she said. Earlier, the film, produced by Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Nasrul Hamid Bipu of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), was screened at Dhaka Lit Fest, Bangladesh Film Festival in Kolkata, and International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The film on Hasina has won international acclaim because it reflected the untold stories of her life as the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to CRI. In an attempt to get a peek into her life, the camera followed her inside her kitchen and library. It took around five years to make the 70 minute film, which captures through Hasina's eyes the freedom struggle in Bangladesh, the arrest of her father by the Pakistani forces, and finally, the assassination of Bangabandhu and his entire family. Read:Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale screened in Seoul According to CRI, people had earlier thought that it would be a typical narrative on the prime minister. But, it is the less-explored aspects of her life that intrigued them. The movie, produced by Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Nasrul Hamid of Center for Research and Information (CRI), offered the first-person narrative of Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana on how the world seemed upside down when they heard the news of the assassination of their father and the entire family, how they struggled to get back to the very country liberated by their father, and how Sheikh Hasina reclaimed her space and became the prime minister.