Comrade Jatin Sarker will live on through his work

Professor Jatin Sarker has left us. He was not born into a wealthy family, but he was rich in the wealth of knowledge. He belonged to the marginalised. From childhood, he grew up through great hardship, pursuing his education under the same difficult circumstances. But when his thinking became connected with Marxist thought, his worldview expanded. Until his death, he believed in the philosophy of Marxism-Leninism. In practice, however, he was rooted in the folk tradition. He was not dogmatic, nor was he blinded by ideology. He had a strong capacity to embrace the new.

He observed the society of Bangladesh, and indeed the society of the Indian subcontinent, with great depth. He had profound knowledge of various religions and philosophies. In our party’s different study circles, he could easily connect with the younger generation.

Listening to Jatin Sarker’s discussions deeply moved both the young and the old. During the Gorbachev era, when the Soviet Union and the entire socialist world were in crisis, even among those in our country who had long practised Marxism-Leninism, cracks appeared in ideological commitment. At that time, too, Jatin Sarker stood with us in the struggle.

He wrote repeatedly on these matters. He wrote that Marxism is the philosophy of motion, and motion has no end. Therefore, Marxism always has the capacity to embrace the new. He would say, “Change is unchangeable.” Change can never be changed. This idea—that change is unchangeable—is itself a principle of Marxism.

If change is taking place, it cannot be dragged backwards. Change always moves forward, even though in history there are moments of regression. Such regression is never permanent. Jatin Sarker believed in this philosophy.

To put it in context, at present our country is going through a period of regression. Medieval ideas and the notions of 1947 are returning. The Partition of the country was based on communalism, but through the Language Movement we built the foundation of Bengali nationalism. That nationalism inherently contained secularism, on the basis of which we achieved independence and formulated our Constitution with four fundamental principles. Today, there is a tendency to block those principles. This is a form of historical regression.

Jatin Sarker would say that regression exists, but it is never permanent. The regression we see in Bangladesh today is also not permanent. He was a Marxist theoretician—a creative Marxist. He did not practise Marxism mechanically. By critically engaging with Marxism through his own understanding, he worked extensively to advance it. He wrote prolifically on this, and our younger generation must read and understand his work. Reading his writings will give them clarity of vision and help them determine their duties in life.

Today we have lost Jatin Sarker, but his creative work remains among us. Through his work, our comrade Jatin Sarker will live on.

Mohammad Shah Alam: President, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)