As Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of the 1971 War of Independence with a bolstered sense of Bengali nationalism and self-determination, those involved with the history of the struggle advise vigilance, noting that the fight is still not over. Nadim Qadir, the son of a Liberation War martyr, told Hindustan Times' sister publication HT Bangla that pro-Pakistani forces, in hiding, are still attempting to lay waste to Bangladesh and that the country's security forces must exercise alert and remember that the fight against anti-national elements is not over yet.

Nadim, the son of Liberation War martyr Colonel Abdul Qadir, recalled in an interview with the publication painful memories from 50 years ago when the Pakistani militia pursued the systematic elimination of nationalist Bengali civilians, students, intelligentsia, religious minorities, and armed personnel.

“Family members of the Mukti Bahini (the Bangladeshi resistance army) fighters are forever haunted by these traumatic recollections,” said Nadim. “I find myself getting extremely emotional every time it comes up.”

He continued, “I was barely a ten-year-old kid back when my father answered the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and went to the frontlines. This was also the time when my mother was in a delicate state, pregnant with a child on the way. He (Nadim's father) received the news and decided to come visit my mother in the hospital pod, but he was caught by the Pakistani militia.”

Gathering his thoughts, Nadim resumed, “They (the Pakistani armed forces) killed my father, less than two weeks before my younger brother Arun was born. We located Col Qadir's grave in 2007, but my mother had already passed away in 1999.”

Looking back at the struggle, Nadim Qadir thanked India for lending its hand to the neighbouring country's struggle for Independence all those years ago. He said Bangladesh, with the support of its allies, is progressing under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but there is cause for concern yet.

Recalling the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack, Nadim said, “Our leader was targeted by pro-Pakistan militant outfits, many of which are still active in Bangladesh. These anti-national forces need to be eliminated. If these Pakistani collaborators continue to exist even 50 years after the war for independence, for what purpose had the Muktijoddhas laid down their lives?”

Nadim Qadir, for his part, is playing his role in instilling Bengali nationalism among the new generation in his country. A foundation, named ‘Muktadhara '71’, has been established with a complex in the Mustafapur village of the Rangpur district, which serves to teach younger children the values of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.