Bangladesh Will Return to the Spirit of 1971, Asserts Jafor Iqbal

Prominent Bangladeshi academic and author Professor Muhammed Zafar Iqbal has expressed firm confidence that Bangladesh will ultimately return to the foundational principles of its 1971 Liberation War. Speaking at a gathering in New Jersey, United States, the celebrated writer addressed the ongoing political shifts in his homeland, asserting that those attempting to erase the legacy of the independence movement have now been exposed and must face justice.

Professor Iqbal, who is currently staying in North America following the mass civil uprising in Bangladesh during July and August 2024, described his current two-year tenure abroad as a form of exile. Rejecting recent attempts to alter the nation’s political trajectory, he invoked his background in physics to illustrate his perspective on the political dynamics.

“They attempted to press a ‘reset button’,” Professor Iqbal remarked, alluding to measures taken under the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus. “As a professor of physics, I understand the nature of cause, effect, and reaction. Erasing history from the collective memory is far from simple.”

Literary Recognition and Commemoration

The gathering was convened by the Ekattorer Prohori Foundation at the residence of freedom fighter Nurun Nabi to formally present Professor Iqbal with the Nobi-Zinat Literary Award. The accolade had been announced earlier in May during the Bangabandhu International Book Fair in New York.

The proceedings opened with a solemn tribute to the acclaimed novelist Humayun Ahmed, commemorating his death anniversary. Cultural activists, writers, and expatriate Bangladeshi professionals from across North America attended the event to express solidarity with the ideals of the 1971 struggle.

Reflections on History and Future Generations

Recalling the ultimate sacrifice of his father, who was martyred during the 1971 Liberation War, Professor Iqbal reaffirmed that Bangladesh could never belong to the anti-liberation forces defeated decades ago.

Addressing young Bangladeshi expatriates and students, he encouraged them to achieve exceptional success in technology, enterprise, and science. Rather than aiming merely for financial stability, he urged them to strive for substantial influence and resources so they could fund modern science education institutions and foster rational thinking back home.

Critique of Political Shift and Interim Leadership

Professor Iqbal’s spouse, Professor Yasmeen Huq, delivered a scathing critique of Dr Muhammad Yunus and the post-uprising interim government. She alleged that systematic efforts were underway by organized groups to distort the historical narrative of the liberation struggle and dismantle the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“The individual who has inflicted immense harm upon Bangladesh is Dr Muhammad Yunus,” Professor Huq stated during her address. “Few could have anticipated the level of hostility held against the nation’s founding principles.”

Expressing the emotional toll of living abroad without a clear path home, she emphasized that despite feeling temporarily displaced, their conviction remains unshaken. The expatriate intellectuals reiterated their collective resolve to return to a Bangladesh where the spirit of the Liberation War and secular democratic values are fully restored.