MD Rahatul Islam

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"Nobody understands what I do for my country", an apparently original quote by the guy who was called "The ONE friend of Bangladesh", the undisputed leader of the Bangladeshis after the country became independent in 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, sort of sums up the mood of the whole book. True or not, the events that are delineated in a Kafkaesque detail by Mr Mascarenhas paints a graphic and sordid tale about a country that could've been the mantelpiece of democracy, independence, economic and political sovereignty, and yet was betrayed, abused and heartbroken by the many 'well sung' heroes of it's war of independence. It's an unmistakable tale of murder, extrajudicial killings, palace conspiracies and Coup d'états by political leaders, war heroes, brothers in arms wrapped in a beautiful style of storytelling that reminds you of old spy noir novels from the cold war era (and indeed, I think it can be considered one at the height of the struggle of supremacy between communism and capitalism). "A legacy of blood"-unmasks how in an Orwellian, "Animal Farm"-ish way, the Bangladeshis became dismayed after their corrupt and torturous Pakistani overlords were gone to govern the lands, how power corrupted everyone, including the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujib himself, as he perished at the hands of those he trusted most having become a despot who had failed his people and had invested in the wrong clique of advisers. This book is a *must read for any Bangladeshi who wants to know what really went wrong with the country, for members of the armed forces to understand what to do and what not to in order to uphold the sovereignty of their country, for citizens of the civilian populace to understand whom and what to confide in and what not to. Thank my ex-para commando friend, for the recommendation :) PS: Get a copy from Nilkhet for around 180 BDT, and spread around...this book needs to be read! (less)