Remembering Gough Whitlam

I'm writing to say thanks for publishing a valedictory piece by Harun Ur Rashid on 23/10/'14 on Gough Whitlam, the former Prime Minister of Australia, who died on October 21, 2014. I'm a proud Australian and Gough Whitlam was a great Australian.

It was great to hear some news from home but it was even better to read of the genuine gratitude Bangladeshis feel for him and his achievements back in the 1970s. Despite being a keen historian, I wasn't aware that Australia had been the first western nation to recognise Bangladesh in 1972. That was typical of the great statesman ahead of his time.

Gough's funeral was attended by thousands (stopping the Sydney traffic) and watched by thousands more. He was bid farewell by a grateful nation and will be remembered forever in our great country. Thanks for including his obituary in your pages. It was much appreciated.

Greg Robinson
Baridhara, Dhaka