Simon Dring: A true friend of Bangladesh

Simon Dring, a British journalist who covered the horrors of Bangladesh's war for independence from Pakistan in 1971, has recently passed away at the age of 75. He made a remarkable contribution by informing the world about the genocide in the then East Pakistan, and the struggle of the people through his coverage of our Liberation War. With his demise, we lost a time-tested friend.

On March 25, 1971, when the Pakistan army was trying to block world media from doing any news coverage, Dring hid himself at the Hotel Intercontinental for more than 32 hours, risking his life only to inform the world about the atrocity. When the curfew was lifted on March 27, he left the hotel avoiding military patrol. He travelled Dhaka city, and collected evidence of genocide in the Dhaka University area, Rajarbagh Police Lines, and various other parts of Old Dhaka. Later, he managed to board a flight to West Pakistan. Until he finally reached Bangkok, the security had stopped him several times but somehow his documentation was unharmed and wrote a report titled 'Tanks crush revolt in Pakistan'. It was published in the Daily Telegraph on March 30. From this report, the world could know about the brutality of the Pakistani forces in the then East Pakistan.

The government of Bangladesh honoured Simon Dring in 2012 for his contributions to our War of Liberation. This great soul died on July 18 in a hospital in Romania. We pray for the eternal salvation of this journalist friend of Bangladesh.

Wares Ali Khan,

Rangpur City, Rangpur,

aliwares21@gmail.com