I attended the University of California at Berkeley in 1970. At that time, the Vietnam War was going on and Berkeley was the hotbed of radical resistance. I was supportive of the civil disobedience that led to the Bangladesh Liberation War and independence in 1971. After independence, the new state endured poverty, famine, political turmoil and military coups. The restoration of democracy in 1991 has been followed by relative calm and economic progress.

At the end of the nine month-long war, : India directly helped Bangladesh to liberate ; it from the Pakistanis. And at that time, ; America turned a deaf ear and blind eye to ; the sufferings of the oppressed Bangladeshis. They supported Pakistan. The : number of Bangladeshi refugees was ‘ around 1 crore. Their sufferings knew no ;

bounds.

And now that it is the month of freedom : in Bangladesh, we wish the country ; prosperity and success.

Ted Rudow III, MA

CA, USA