BANGLADESH

Celebrated British journalists Sir William Mark Tully and Simon Dring will reminisce on their experiences during Bangladesh's War of Independence at a programme on Monday.

One of the organisers, business leader Annisul Huq told bdnews24.com: "The two foreign journalists will start telling us about their war-time experiences from 7:30pm at Hotel Sonargaon."

Sir Mark Tully was BBC's India correspondent in 1971 and is still one of Britain's favourite broadcasters. During the war, the news media controlled by the then Pakistani junta used to carry out coverage for the military and their affiliates. Mark Tully's coverage of the war on BBC radio was the people's chief source of authentic information.

Covering the Liberation War of Bangladesh was a high point in Sir Mark's career; that he did extensively for the BBC and had the fortune to watch founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from close quarters.

London-based Daily Telegraph's war correspondent Simon Dring was the first person who flashed out to the world the genocide carried out by the Pakistani forces on the Bengalis when Operation Searchlight was launched on the night of Mar 25, 1971.

All foreign correspondents and journalists had already been expelled from Dhaka by the military authorities and Dring was one of three correspondents who at the risk of their lives managed to stay in hiding – the other two being Arnold Zeitlin and Michael Laurent.

On Mar 31, Telegraph published Dring's eyewitness account of Operation Searchlight. Datelined Dhaka it was called "How Dhaka paid for a united Pakistan" and Dring's account of the army's attack on Dhaka University was horrifying and shocking but vivid and factual.

Business groups Mohammadi Group and Ha-Meem Group of current FBCCI president A K Azad, are sponsoring the programme titled 'Smriti 71'.

Sector commander and former army chief retired Maj Gen K M Shafiullah would be joining the two journalists in reflecting on the tumultuous days.

"We have invited all MPs, cabinet members, journalists and businessmen," Annisul Huq of Mohammadi Group said.

None without invite will be allowed, added the former FBCCI chief.

The programme, however, will be broadcast live on Desh Television and can be watched also on bdnews24.com.

Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh's first Internet newspaper, will moderate the programme.

Anyone can send their queries to the guests to this email address – smriti71@bdnews24.com

A previous attempt to bring the duo together to hear their stories was cancelled due to Sir Mark's illness.

Sir Mark, who reported the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the Bhopal gas tragedy and the destruction of the Babri Mosque by Hindu fanatics at Ayodhya, was awarded one of India's highest honours, the Padma Bhushan.

He will meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban before the programme.