EDITOR'S NOTE

The declaration of independence was the inevitable conclusion of decades of struggle against the blatant subjugation that deprived us of our basic cultural, economic and political rights. It was also the beginning of a momentous transition from a state of oppression to one of glorious resistance. The genocide that began on March 25 1971 and the impassioned direction given by a fearless, charismatic Bangabandhu, left no doubt in our minds, that it was time to fight for our destiny of being a free, independent country. With rudimentary training and inadequate arms but overpowering love for our motherland we, the people of this nation, united as one indomitable force, for the sake of freedom. 

This supplement includes firsthand accounts of the Liberation War, interviews of awarded freedom fighters and genocide experts, and compilations of political developments that led to the March 26 declaration. This supplement brings to our readers some of the untold stories of valiant men and women Muktijoddhas, the sacrifices they made, the leadership they received from their selfless mentors, the effects of genocide and the twists and turns of history that led to the birth of this nation and our national identity.