All attacks must be judged during the tenure of this interim government

Samina Luthfa Nitra is a resolute teacher and a powerful actress on stage. Currently, she is serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Dhaka. She has been performing on stage for nearly a decade as the lead actor of the theater group BotTola. Recently, she spoke with Views Bangladesh about the challenges facing the interim government following the recent mass uprising in the country. The interview was conducted by Views Bangladesh senior reporter Hira Talukder.

Views Bangladesh: What could be the main challenges faced by the interim government, which has come to power through a successful mass uprising?
Samina Luthfa Nitra: The main challenge for the interim government is the existing political and institutional structures in the country. This includes the state of the judiciary, the division and politicization within the military, and the political fragmentation within the administration and bureaucracy. These factors will obstruct them. However, the most significant aspect is that they have come to power through a mass uprising, which gives them an opportunity to make substantial changes if they have the political will.

Views Bangladesh: Is it possible to establish an egalitarian society through this mass uprising?
Samina Luthfa Nitra: The mass uprising was driven by the aspiration to establish an egalitarian society. The interim government has pledged, with the blood of those who were killed during the uprising, to build an egalitarian society. While we haven't seen a truly egalitarian society anywhere in the world yet, even the effort to move towards such a society could eliminate a lot of inequalities. However, this depends on their commitment and intentions.

Views Bangladesh: After the uprising, several monuments from 1971 have been damaged, House No. 32 has been burned down, many people, including singer Rahul Anand, have been forced out of their homes, and numerous sculptures have been destroyed. This has raised questions about the political stance of the protesters. How do you view this?
Samina Luthfa Nitra: The protesters have overthrown a brutal autocratic regime and have outlined a new government. Naturally, there are many people who are angry with them. The massive support base of the previous ruling party, the Awami League, still exists in Bangladesh. It's important to remember that their leaders fled, leaving their followers unprotected; yet, their entire organizational structure remains intact. Therefore, it’s natural that they would want to question the political beliefs of the protesters. However, there must be a proper investigation into these attacks.

Who is behind these attacks? For instance, just yesterday, we saw conflicts arising from graffiti at the Shaheed Minar. It's evident that a particular group is funding these acts of sabotage to create the impression that Bangladesh has become an Islamic state. Although the majority of the population in Bangladesh is Muslim, this doesn’t mean that the country has transformed into an Islamic state. It's crucial to understand this within the context of the political dynamics of other countries and how we should deal with it. But every attack and murder is condemnable, and every attack must be judged during the tenure of this interim government. If not, their image will be tarnished. In this regard, there’s nothing students can do. The students have tried to protect these sites, and some have even sacrificed their lives. They’ve been protesting for three weeks, but this isn’t their responsibility. This is the job of the army, the police, who are paid to protect us, yet they sit idle while we remain unprotected. This is a political game and a major challenge for this government.

Views Bangladesh: Who is responsible for the chaos and anarchy that has spread across the country?
Samina Luthfa Nitra: Without an investigation, how can we say for sure? But I would certainly place the blame on the law enforcement agencies. Before coming to power, they promised to ensure our safety, but where is that safety now? Why do students still have to remain on the streets day and night after such a massive movement? This clearly indicates a deterioration in law and order. They are not fulfilling their responsibilities.

Views Bangladesh: Thank you for your time.
Samina Luthfa Nitra: Thank you as well.