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Serajul Islam Choudhury

  • Emeritus Professor

Emeritus Professor, University of Dhaka

Literature’s opposition to the state
Literature’s opposition to the state

Literature’s opposition to the state

Even though he did not write poetry, Plato was undoubtedly a poet—this is evident throughout his prose writings. Through his use of metaphors, allegories, and word choices, the philosopher employed both the imagination and aesthetic sense of the poet within him. There is no reason to doubt that he understood the appeal and power of poetry in his personal life. Yet, in his ideal state, he made no room for poets. He even gave instructions for their expulsion. Poets may be honoured, adorned with garlands and perfumes, but they must be politely told: Gentlemen, there is no place for you in our state.

Rabindranath: A hero comes once, not again and again
 Rabindranath

Rabindranath: A hero comes once, not again and again

You, Rabindranath, did not believe in the state; you believed in society. In your view, in the Indian subcontinent, society was paramount, while the state was an imposition—an intrusive entity. The state was external; society was our own. You held a firm belief that we could shape society in our own image.

What has this country become seven months after mass uprising!
What has this country

What has this country become seven months after mass uprising!

In March 2025, the country is still grappling with the abuse of women and children. The newspapers continue to print harrowing accounts of these atrocities. Ah, what has become of the country just seven months after the student-public uprising of July-August, with the dream of building a new Bangladesh? Where is the government? Where is the rule of law?

Why should we regret on the 72nd anniversary of the Language Movement?
Why should we regret on the 72nd anniversary of the Language Movement?

Why should we regret on the 72nd anniversary of the Language Movement?

As we celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the Language Movement, it is essential to express regret over the fact that the Bengali language has not received the respect it deserved as the state language of an independent country. Despite the expectation that Bengali should have attained its rightful place, it has not. The reasons for this are numerous, including the coexistence of three different education systems in the country, the lack of Bengali language use in the higher judiciary, and the absence of effective measures for the widespread use of Bengali at all levels of society. However, to find the root cause, we must look deeper.

When the state is the offspring and sustainer of inequality
When the state is the offspring and sustainer of inequality

When the state is the offspring and sustainer of inequality

You, Rabindranath, did not believe in the state; you believed in society. In India, society was paramount, and the state was a particular nuisance — this was part of your philosophy. The state was external, while society was ours. You had faith that we would shape this society according to our own will.

Bangalees united by linguistic identity, not communal affiliation
Bangalees united by linguistic identity, not communal affiliation

Bangalees united by linguistic identity, not communal affiliation

Nationalism is inherently political; it raises questions about the formation and dissolution of states. Language, however, transcends the state and holds possibilities that are not only vast and profound but also both democratic and socialist in nature. This is because linguistic identity has the power to surpass class divisions. Our language movement was democratic in multiple ways. Firstly, it aimed to establish the rights of the Bengali-speaking majority within the Pakistani state structure. Secondly, it sought to unite Bengalis not on the basis of class or communal identity but through linguistic identity, which carried an inherent socialist aspiration.