Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday unveiled the Chinese edition of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s ‘Asamapto Athmojiboni’ (Unfinished Memoirs), translated by former Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Chai Xi and his friends.
Chai Xi presented the copy of the book to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gonobhaban in Dhaka yesterday.
Chai Xi, who served in the Chinese embassy in Dhaka for 15 years in different capacities, translated the book in Chinese language at the request of the Prime Minister.
The prime minister extended her heartfelt thanks to Chai Xi and his friends for translating the autobiography composed on his writings in prison during Pakistani colonial rule.
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor and Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan also spoke on the occasion.
Hasina said the writings of Bangabandhu are important historical document not only for Bangladesh but also for subcontinental history.
She recalled her mother Bangamata Fazilatunnessa Mujib’s role in protecting the diaries of Bangabandhu from the wrath of colonial regime.
Recalling the visit of Bangabandhu to China in 1952 and 1957 and visit of the Chinese first premier Zhou Enlai in Dhaka in 1956, Hasina said Bangabandhu had noted down those visits in his diaries where he predicted China’s emergence as an economic and political power.
“Bangbandhu’s prediction came true and China is now a big economic and political power in the world,” the prime minister said.
Writings of Bangabandhu on his Chinese visit would be published in a separate book, the prime minister told Chai Xi, requesting him for also translating the book into Chinese language.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh values her relations with China. “We want peaceful regional coexistence among the countries of this region and making the region free from poverty,” she said.
The former Chinese ambassador informed the Prime Minister that all the proceeds accrued from sale of the Chinese edition of the book will be donated to the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust.