Dhaka, Feb. 1 -- Topu Raihan, son of martyred intellectual Zahir Raihan, believes Bangladesh must advance by holding firmly to the ideals that inspired the 1971 Liberation War.

He spoke at the launch of the second volume of bdnews24.com's Liberation War compilation, Bangladesh, Penned in Blood, on Saturday night.

"We must preserve the roots of the Liberation War spirit illuminated in 1971. Without holding on to these roots, we cannot move forward," he said.

Reflecting on 54 years of independence, Topu noted that secularism has endured but its full realisation remains incomplete.

"The need for the July Uprising arose precisely because the Liberation War spirit could not be fully implemented. We've not truly achieved freedom even after ...