A comic book on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, using Japanese ‘Manga’ style, was launched on Wednesday in Dhaka for Bangladeshi children and juvenile readers.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen inaugurated the book at a ceremony and said this is an “exceptional book” that tells the readers the story of the birth of Bangladesh and of the unique contribution of Bangabandhu.
NRB Scholars Publishers of the Scholars Bangladesh Society, which is known for hosting events with the non-resident Bangladeshis, published the book with the support of the foreign ministry, the Japanese embassy in Dhaka and the Max Group.
This was published marking the 50 years friendship celebration between Bangladesh and Japan.
“This is the first of five volumes of books on Bangladesh drawn in the Japanese Manga style,” M E Chowdhury Shameem, publisher of the book, said.
Japanese ambassador in Dhaka Iwama Kiminori, Director General of Bangla Academy Mohammad Nurul Huda, Professor Dr. Fakrul Alam, Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Research Institute for Peace and Liberty, University of Dhaka, and Max Group Chairman Engineer Ghulam Mohammed Alomgir, were also present as guests at the event.
Japanese art form Manga encompasses drawn cartoons, comic books, and graphic novels. It is different from non-Japanese cartoons, comic books, and novels in a number of ways.
“We got the pictures drawn from Japan in the book. Manga is a $10 billion industry. Japan also uses artists from Korea and Vietnam to draw Manga. With the launching of this book, I think this style will become popular among Bangladeshi artists,” he said.
The Japanese ambassador praised the work and said this year marks the 50th anniversary of Bangabandhu’s historic visit to Japan.
Japan recognised independent Bangladesh on February 10, 1972 and Bangabandhu visited Tokyo from October 18 to 24 in 1973.
Ambassador Kiminori said during the visit, the Japanese people strongly supported the cause of independence. The then prime minister Tanaka Kakuei personally conveyed that Japan would continue to support Bangladesh’s nation-building. Thus, began Japan’s journey as a prominent development partner. “We would like to make this milestone year the beginning of a new era in Japan-Bangladesh relations,” he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to visit Japan at the end of April.
