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ROAD TO BANGLADESH SERIES is designed to present published accounts of the background to the emergence of Bangladesh. The Series showcases such a collection that, when put together, achieves a well-rounded narrative of the events of 1971. Books in the series should be an invaluable collection for those interested in South Asian affairs, particularly students and scholars of politics, history, development and social transformation.

This insider’s account deals in detail with political developments that led to the emergence of independent Bangladesh. The post independence challenges described here are a valuable source of information on different aspects of state building. Kamal Hossain gives us a vivid eye witness account of his own involvement in different phases of the political struggles, from personal associations, as legal defense for freedom of the media and victims of repression in the sixties in particular in the Agartala Conspiracy case. His later association with the Awami League’s team at Ayub’s Round Table Conference and with Yahya Khan in 1971 provides valuable historical insights into the events leading to the war of independence. After independence as Minister of Law, Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee (1972) later Minister of Foreign Affairs, and of Petroleum and Minerals (1973-1975) he focuses on the challenges of state building and political transformation. He offers thoughtful analyses of how a country ravaged by war and deprived of resources gave itself a secular, democratic constitution, won respect of the world, gained membership of the United Nations and actively pursued peace and stability in the region. Bangladesh’s pursuit of democracy was short lived as representative governance and secular, democratic politics were stifled by military rule. Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice as a political memoir offers critical insights into the processes of state formation in the initial years.

Table of contents:

1. Historical Background / 2. The Six Points Programme / 3. From Agartala Conspiracy Case to the Round Table Conference (December 1967 to March 1969) / 4. The Round Table Conference (February to March 1969) / 5. From Martial Law to General Elections and After (March 1969 to March 1971) / 6. Non-Cooperation Movement (1 March to 25 March 1971) /  7. Military Crackdown, Jail and Homecoming (25 March 1971 to 10 January 1972) / 8. Challenge of State Building:The First Steps / 9. The Making of the Constitution / 10. Foreign Policy: Pre-Independence Orientations / 11. Development of Foreign Relations / 12. Relations with India / 13. Relations with Pakistan / 14. Bangladesh at the United Nations