A new book, titled ‘Of the Nation Born: The Bangladesh Papers’, was formally launched here on Wednesday. The book charts women’s journeys toward justice, accountability, and dignity in Bangladesh after being subjected to sexual violence during and after the 1971 Liberation War.
Jean Lebel, President of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), was joined by co-editor Hameeda Hossain, a human rights activist and researcher, to launch the book.
The formal release of the book was done by Jean Lebel and Joanne Charette, Vice President of IDRC, at a ceremony at the Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Bidipeeth, said an IDRC press release.
“IDRC supports efforts in developing countries to identify the root causes of gender-based violence and find solutions to sustainably prevent and overcome it,” says Jean Lebel.
“The book, Of the Nation Born, helps to understand how we can create opportunities for women and girls to transform cultural, economic, and social norms, and gain access to justice.”
Rounaq Jahan of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) was one of the discussants and spoke about the book’s significance.
Of the Nation Born is part of a regional research and publication project supported by IDRC to uncover the glaring silences around sexual violence in South Asia.
Led by Zubaan, a publishing house based in New Delhi, this project also aims to begin a meaningful dialogue on sexual violence and ensure that it is given the attention it deserves in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Silence and impunity are at the heart of the issues discussed in the book. For example, the Bangladesh War Crimes Tribunal of 2009 made no mention of rape despite the fact that women had spoken out publicly about their experience.
Because of their strong resistance movement, the women survivors of wartime rape gained recognition from the Government of Bangladesh in 2015.
