DHAKA – Japanese Prime Minister’s spouse Akie Abe has described Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a great leader when she attended the cover unveiling ceremony of the graphic novel “Mujib” in Japan on Monday.
Graphic novel “Mujib” based on the autobiography of Bangabandhu has been published in Japanese language with a view to portraying the life and works of Bangabandhu before the Japanese children and juveniles.
The cover unveiling ceremony of the novel was held at Bangabandhu auditorium of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo.
Akie Abe joined the function as the chief guest while Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe were present on the occasion.
Paying rich tributes to Bangabandhu, Akie Abe said Bangabandhu, the architect of independent Bangladesh, was a great leader.
She said the graphic novel on Bangabandhu will play an important role in letting the Japanese children and juveniles know the life and works of Bangabandhu.
Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Rabab Fatima and envoys of different countries stationed in Japan, business delegates, civil society members of Japan and Bangladeshi expatriates joined the function.
Awami League’s research wing Centre for Research and Information (CRI) has translated and published the graphic novel on Bangabandhu into Japanese language under the initiative of Bangladesh Embassy in Japan.
Japanese Professor Masaaki Ohashi and Imran Sharif translated the book.
Bangabandhu’s grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq, also publisher of the book, expressed his hope that the graphic novel will help the Japanese children know about the history of Bangladesh and the country’s Father of the Nation.
He thanked Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo and two translators of the novel for successfully completing the publication of the graphic novel in Japanese language.
Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Rabab Fatima said apart from English, this graphic novel has been translated into Japanese language as the first foreign language.
A ‘time-line’ video on Bangabandhu’s life and struggles was screened in the programme.
Besides, the graphic novel was presented before the students of Sacred Heart School, Tokyo at another function.
The novel will be read out at different schools in Japan in phases and will be distributed among different educational institutions and Bangladesh expatriates in Japan.
