Dusk, Dawn and Liberation

Review- Dusk, Dawn and LiberationBy Peter J. Armstrong“I had spent some time in Bangladesh, but knew little about the country’s tortured, difficult birth, until I read this book. It is an extraordinary story, told in a balanced, impartial way, in spite of the terrible things done to those who wished only to speak their own language, in their own country, and who wished to be masters of their own destiny. In the matter-of-fact way the story unfolds, there is a tone of understatement which actually brings home the horror of that time in a vivid way. The direct and literal translation of some conversations from Bengali reminds one of Hemingway’s literal translations of Spanish conversations, which serves to bring one more closely into a different world - a world of pain, suffering and ultimately, deliverance. I look forward to more of this writer’s work.”By Blue Ink reviewIt is a novel of hope as well, finding beauty in the wake of incredible horror;Ahmed’s ambitious novel is a story of healing and humanity triumphing over retribution and despair. It will leave readers feeling empathy for the Bangladeshi people’s suffering on their path toward independence.By KIRKUS ReviewThis work of historical fiction chronicles the events that led to East Pakistan declaring its independence of what is now Bangladesh. This history informs the escalation of the conflict into a prolonged campaign of violence by the state military against East Pakistan’s Bengali and Hindu populations. Ahmed shifts the narrative between various characters on both sides of the divide . Ahmed is well-versed in the politics and history of his subject matter.