Letters to the Editor
Tribute to Gorbachev
Monday, 5 September 2022
The death of Mikhail Gorbachev who died on Tuesday at the age of 91 ended a phase of history. Russia laid to rest the last leader of the Soviet Union in Moscow on Saturday. However, he was denied a state funeral as Russian President Vladimir Putin did not join. It reflects that no love was lost between Gorbachev and Putin/his followers. They always blamed Gorbachev for the Soviet Union's collapse.
In power between 1985 and 1991, Gorbachev sought to transform the Soviet Union. The outcome was the collapse of the socialist regime and the emergence of 15 independent states. His move also helped the reunification of Germany in 1990. In Russia, many blame him for letting go of the Soviet Union and, with it, the country's position as a global power. In the West, he is highly regarded as a great reformer. History will ultimately put him in the right place.
Farzana Naz
Moghbazar, Dhaka
Fjharna70@gmail.com