The Making of Bangladesh as I Saw It is a personal account of the 1971 struggle to create Bangladesh, narrated by Muhammad Idrish, who lived through the violence. Idrish describes the genocide, rape, and torture that occurred during the war but also emphasises the resilience and determination of the Bengali people. While the Vietnam War occupied much of the West’s attention, a brutal guerilla war was unfolding in East Pakistan, culminating in the birth of Bangladesh after the defeat of the Pakistani army.

At the time, Idrish was 21 and a student at Dhaka University, a hub of radical political activity. As an active participant, he witnessed key moments, such as the hoisting of the first Bangladeshi flag and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech declaring independence. Idrish recounts his personal experiences, fleeing from the Pakistani army and celebrating their eventual surrender. These firsthand memories stand in contrast to modern attempts to distort the history of the Bangladesh liberation war for personal or political gain, which motivated him to write this book.

Although not a historian or professional writer, Muhammad Idrish felt a duty to present the events as he experienced them. His book is a short, straightforward narrative that vividly portrays living through war. At 174 pages, it is an accessible read with moments of humour, conveying the powerful message that war is a curse to humanity, regardless of the outcome.

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