The University Press Limited (UPL) has published the South Asian edition of the book named ‘Border Crossings: My Journey as a Western Muslim' written by British-born Bangladeshi author Mohammad Tufael Chowdhury.
The book was launched in a publication ceremony on Friday.
In the book, the author Mohammad Tufael Chowdhury describes his lifelong struggle to reconcile the British, Asian and Muslim sides of his identity. It is also the story of constantly dealing with the mistrust of Westerners alongside the hypocrisies of his community and their misconception of Islam.
In the ceremony, the distinguished discussants found that the book relates to them in many ways.
They all shared their journey abroad, their daily life experiences and dealings of their identity as immigrant citizens.
The book connects to other British-Bangladeshi or people with similar backgrounds and explores the challenges they faced.
The author explores and tries to reconcile the duality of identities.
The first-generation immigrants went to a foreign land and they had no intentions of making it their homeland. They feel the need to come back to Bangladesh, establish homes and live happily there.
On the other hand, when the second generation came along in their lives, they made sure they went to the best universities and got the best education. They made sure the young generation's life was perfect in that foreign land.
They had to live with the duality of the cultural dimensions in their home and outside.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneThe timely book echoes the experience of thousands of Western Muslims, who since 9/11 have been subjected to a constant barrage of questions that cast doubt over the very best of their faith, while powerfully rejecting the poisonous narrative that Muslims can no longer be trusted as honest citizens of the West.
The discussion was chaired by Syed Afzal Hasan Uddin, managing partner, Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed & Associates.
Distinguished panel discussants were Zeba Rashid Chowdhury, the chairperson of Rashid Enterprise, the Founder and CEO of mPower Social Enterprises Mridul Chowdhury, Chairman of Naafco Group M Shamsul Huda, and Mohammad Tufael Chowdhury, the author of the book and CEO and founder of Long Street Advisors.
Mahrukh Mohiuddin, the managing editor of UPL thanked the discussants for coming to the ceremony.
After the event, the writer Mohammad Tufael Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune: “While going from one country to another country for work or study, one faces many different experiences. One has to face various obstacles. Especially if he is Muslim….I basically wrote about those people in this book in the light of my own experience. Religion, nationality cannot be a barrier.”
He also said: “I am very happy that the book is being accepted by everyone. Even Amartya Sen's famous memoir ‘Home in the World', alongside the global version of the book, was reviewed in Wasafiri journal.”
